Airbus’ extra-performance wing demonstrator finally took off for the first time, as the Cessna Citation VII business jet has departed Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS), France, for a test flight on November 6, 2023. The aircraft, registered as F-WXWG, left the French airport at 10:28 local time (UTC +1).
Extra-performance wing demonstrator project
The Cessna Citation VII jet is part of Airbus’ extra-performance wing demonstrator project, which the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) launched in September 2021. Then, the company said that the project would focus on “accelerating and validating technologies that will improve and optimise wing aerodynamics and performance for any future aircraft.”
As a result, the Citation VII private jet was equipped with “breakthrough wing technologies,” which are compatible with any engine solutions and aircraft configurations to reduce CO2 emissions. At the time, Sabine Klauke, the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Airbus, said that the demonstrator was “another example of Airbus’ novel technology-oriented solutions to decarbonise the aviation sector.”
“Airbus is continuously investigating parallel and complementary solutions such as infrastructure, flight operations and aircraft structure.”
After the aircraft had taken off for the first time, Airbus said that this would be a series of flight tests exploring new features and technologies that could reduce fuel burn on aircraft. The next step for the program will be “the integration of innovative new wings inspired by nature,” according to the plane maker.
Airbus wing projects
In addition to the extra-performance wing demonstrator, Airbus has had several other research programs that study the properties of aircraft wings and any potential fuel savings that could derive from design changes.
For example, the AlbatrossONE program explored “semi-aeroelastic hinged wing-tips” and how these, “freely flapping wing-tips” could improve aircraft performance. Airbus used a small-scale and remote-controlled aircraft to put its theory to the test. The demonstrator aircraft took off for the first time in February 2019. Improvements to the wing design resulted in a Phase 2 flight in July 2020.
There was also the Breakthrough Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator in Europe (BLADE) program, which resulted in Airbus fitting an A340-300 with a wing that combined “a transonic laminar wing profile with a true internal primary structure.” The Airbus A340-300, which has the Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) 001, flew with the special wing in September 2017. According to ch-aviation data, the aircraft is now stored at Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport (LDE).
Lastly, Airbus presented a new Wing Technology Development Center (WTDC) in Filton, the United Kingdom, in July 2023. According to the announcement, the new center would help the manufacturer “accelerate the design, build and testing of wings for next generation aircraft, by using the latest technology and world-leading demonstrators to further improve the performance of its wings.” Sue Partridge, the Head of the Filton site at Airbus and the Wing of Tomorrow Programme, said that the WTDC would help Airbus ground its research practically.