This scale model of a potential future aircraft concept sits inside the 14 by 22-Foot Subsonic Wind Tunnel at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. Recent testing focused on the engines embedded beneath the tail and how well they handle the airflow that comes over the aft fuselage. The idea is that the engines can take advantage of a less turbulent, slower-moving “boundary layer” of air that moves over the aircraft’s skin, resulting in less drag and higher efficiency. Confirming whether this benefit actually happens while maintaining required thrust is key to knowing whether this twin-aisle fuselage with the capacity of an Airbus 320/Boeing 737 will work. Up next will be tests of the model with conventional pod engines in that aft position.
