Designer Oscar Viñals has sketched out the designs for a concept aircraft called the "Progress Eagle." The dramatic three deck, 800-seat super jet would utilize an advanced hybrid engine system for taking off and cruising, resulting in reduced noise and zero contaminant emissions.


Early last year, Viñals unveiled his designs for the Sky Whale, a massive 755-seat aircraft powered by four large hybrid engines. The Progress Eagle is an extension of this idea, a plane that would utilize more economical and environmentally friendly technologies. But where the Sky Whale was designed with the technologies of the 2030s in mind, the Progress Eagle will use technologies that won't exist until later this century.


During take off, the plane would be powered by six hydrogen fuel energy engines. Once airborne, the Progress Eagle will switch to a rear wind generation system to produce self-generated electrical power.

An air intake diffuser would assist with the aircraft's aerodynamics and reduce drag, while quantum solar cells would be positioned on the roof to draw in yet more energy. Viñals suspects that the plane will produce 75% less noise than conventional jet airplanes.


In terms of materials, the plane would be comprised of carbon fiber, graphene, ceramic, aluminum, titanium, and shape-memory alloy materials.


Tip to tip, it's ultra-slim wings would measure 315 feet (96 meters). The double-arrow geometry of the wings would enable them to fold into sections when the plane is being taxied or stored at airport facilities.


At his website, Viñals writes:

Equipped with Smart & Self – repairing skin's wings, composed [of] carbon nanotube and carbon fibers, meta-materials in hexagonal pattern on the surface and a hollow endoskeleton in an ultra-lightweight beehive-shaped of titanium and graphene; using the graphene material like a micro-supercapacitors (fast electrical storage that can charge and discharge a hundred to a thousand times faster than standard batteries) and as a reinforce of inside's wing structure.

The Progress Eagle would also feature an entirely new travel grade, the "pilot's class" where three passengers would be seated at the very front of the aircraft.


Some more features, as described by Viñals:

Zero contaminant emissions.

Noiseless in a 75% more than current planes.

Self-sufficiency in Energy.

Hydrogen Fuel combustible, only 30% of all airplane's energy.

Nano-Kinetic (Nanowires) system powered, Quantum solar dot cells (CQD) powered, Radio frequency & Electromagnetic atmosphere's waves power-harvesting device system powered, Hybrid solar cells (in the airplane's ceiling with hexagonal pattern inside a glass structure and like a part of the fuselage, that allows the passengers of the third deck have amazing views of the sky ) and finally Thermoelectric system powered. Some of these systems have "the objective", to capture the maximum rate of energy from electromagnetic spectrum. These technologies cover a surface of about 463 m2 over the airplane' structure.

Triple winglets system, one of these electroluminescent (middle) and built with Smart materials that could adapt its "blended angle".

Battery storage integrated in the structure's wings and in the cargo bay's plane, in order to keep the airplane's masses on the best balance.

CO2 cleaner system on the rear part (based on an original concept from Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy at Columbia University's Earth Institute).

Could produce Hydrogen from H2O in the atmosphere to refuel the tanks.

Built with the future materials, based in fiber carbon, graphene, ceramic & composite materials, aluminum alloys, titanium, self-healing skin with meta-materials, shape-memory alloy (SMA materials), optic fiber cabling, perovskite crystals & PbS nanocrystals… and more.

Extra landing gears, two in front side and one in rear side to keep the airplane secured in the maneuvers of take-off and landing.

Laser guidance system, assist the airplane when the climatology is adverse, in order to guide the plane analyzing the altitude, air speed, position, angle of flight, and more… all the data for a right landing. With a laser beam the airplane and airport tower can transmit information in all moment in all conditions

The fly: when the Progress Eagle takes off, the six engines are powered with Hydrogen fuel energy to obtain a powerful thrust and when the airplane reaches a "good" altitude and speed, the rear central screw engines are automatically stopped, the air intake diffuser controls the air flow to keep safe the aerodynamics and reduce the drag. The rear wind generator can function at high speed regulating the access of airflow; the airplane flies with its self generated electrical power, with… wind, heat, kinetic, solar & radio waves.

In the maneuver of approximation and landing the six engines turn on and use the batteries' airplane power.

In the maneuver of approximation and landing the six engines turn on and use the batteries' airplane power. Four Superconductive Turbofans Engines, electrically powered and a big mixture rear engine with two propeller engines, one of which capable to be used like a powerful wind generator. The rear mixture engine has an adjustable intake air system to keep a good aerodynamics at high speed.

TLMA system (take-off & landing mechanical assistant) to assist the airplane in the maneuvers of landing and take-off reducing the distance of the track. The four engines on the wings and rear horizontal stabilizer have inside, a system similar a "bypass" powered by hydrogen that produce an extra down thrust to "feed" the "semi VTOL system" (TLMA) in order to keep the thrust of principal engine (core) at maximum performance.


Much more at Viñals's website.



[Via Design Boom]

Images: Oscar Viñals/Alejandro Erickson.

