Christine Thropp
A coalition of U.S. airlines will provide Boeing and NASA with feedback throughout the latter team’s work on the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project and the X-66A research aircraft development.
Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines will comment on sustainable operations and airport compatibility, aircraft handling characteristics, maintenance and other project specifics, Boeing said Tuesday.
“Hearing directly from the operators during all phases of the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project will help us understand exact requirements and tradeoffs,” said Todd Citron, chief technology officer at Boeing.
X-66A is the first X-plane of NASA meant to reduce fuel consumption and emissions and support the space agency’s efforts to record net-zero aviation greenhouse gas emissions. Boeing developed X-66A from a modified MD-90 aircraft to demonstrate the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing airframe configuration.
