Earlier this month, Airbus (www.airbus.com) revealed Maveric (Model Aircraft for Validation and Experimentation of Robust Innovative Controls), its ‘blended wing body’ scale-model demonstrator aircraft.

At 2m long x 3.2m wide and with a surface area of about 2.25m², Maveric features a ‘disruptive’ design with the potential to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20% (compared to current single-aisle aircraft).

The ‘blended wing body’ configuration also opens up new possibilities for propulsion system types and a ‘different
passenger experience’.

Maveric first ‘took to the skies’ in June 2019; the flight tests should be completed by the end of Q2 2020.

Jean-Brice Dumont, EVP (engineering) at Airbus, said: “Airbus is leveraging emerging technologies to pioneer the future of flight.

“By testing disruptive aircraft configurations, the company can evaluate their potential as viable future products.

“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 currently working on a number of demonstrator projects. These include E-FAN X (hybrid-electric propulsion), fello’fly (v-shaped ‘formation’ flight) and ATTOL (autonomous taxi take-off and landing).