Airbus is testing a new type of experimental wing that the company hopes could revolutionize how airplanes fly. The new extra performance wing demonstrator took off for the first time on November 6, from the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France. The small Cessna Citation VII is part of Airbus’ new test for the wings, which it originally began working on in September 2021.
If the tests prove successful, Airbus could come up with a revolutionary way to enhance how airplanes use their wings, allowing them to cut down on fuel consumption. Airbus says the project is focused on “accelerating and validating technologies that will improve and optimize wing aerodynamics and performance for any future aircraft.”
Our ️ flying demonstrator, the #eXtraPerformanceWing, has taken off for the first time – kicking off a series of flight tests to explore new features and technologies that could help reduce fuel burn.
What’s next? The integration of innovative new wings inspired by nature.… pic.twitter.com/GADBCqhIcz— Airbus (@Airbus) November 6, 2023
Airbus equipped the Citation VII with the new experiment wing, which Airbus says is compatible with new engine solutions and configurations to help reduce the overall CO2 emissions of the company’s airplanes. Burning fossil fuels like those used in gasoline continues to help fuel the ongoing climate change our planet is experiencing, and Airbus is just one of many trying to take some steps to cut down on the emissions humanity’s different industries create.
The company hasn’t shared exactly what is new about the experimental wings, or how much it will dent the company’s carbon footprint if they are indeed successful and utilized further. However, this is just one of many projects that Airbus has been working on to try to reduce the emissions from airplanes and make them more fuel-efficient.
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While we don’t know the details of the new wing experiment, it is comforting to see companies looking for better ways to cut the amount of fuel usage on massive vehicles like aircraft, and while it is no doubt heavily pushed by the need to cut the cost of fuel, it still plays out nicely for climate change, too.
