Airbus reveals ‘blended wing’ demonstrator which aims to cut fuel consumption by up to 20%

Airbus has unveiled a scale model of a new blended-wing-body aircraft demonstrator it has been testing secretly since last year.

At 2 metres long and 3.2 metres wide, MAVERIC (Model Aircraft for Validation and Experimentation of Robust Innovative Controls) features a ‘disruptive’ aircraft design that has the potential to reduce fuel consumption by up-to 20 per cent, compared to current single-aisle aircraft.

The “blended wing body” configuration also opens up new possibilities for propulsion systems type and integration, as well as a versatile cabin for a totally new on-board passenger experience.

Launched in 2017, MAVERIC first took to the skies in June 2019. Since then the flight-test campaign has been on-going and will continue until the end of Q2 2020.

 “Airbus is leveraging emerging technologies to pioneer the future of flight.

By testing disruptive aircraft configurations, Airbus is able to evaluate their potential as viable future products,” said Jean-Brice Dumont, EVP Engineering Airbus.

“Although there is no specific time line for entry-into-service, this technological demonstrator could be instrumental in bringing about change in commercial aircraft architectures for an environmentally sustainable future for the aviation industry.”

Airbus is using its core strengths and capabilities of engineering and manufacturing, in close collaboration with an extended innovation ecosystem, to accelerate traditional research and development cycles.

By doing this Airbus is able to achieve proof of concepts, at a convincing scale and speed, thereby driving forward maturity and increasing their value.