Applications of Advanced Upper Surface Blowing Propulsive-Lift Technology

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has conducted research on propulsive-lift techniques for more than 30 years. The success of the flight research program conducted with the Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft led to studies of this technology for a business jet and a Short-Haul Transport application. The studies showed that the Short-Haul Transport could operate from a 2500-ft (762.0 m) runway with 95 passengers at low noise levels. Design range was 500 n. mi. but with maximum fuel load the runway length is only increased to 2900 ft (883.9 m) while the range is increased to more than 1000 n. mi. Two business jet designs were studied; one design was based on a 1500-ft (457.2-m) field length and the other was designed for a 2500-ft (762.0-m) field length. As with the Short-Haul Transport, the business jet designed for a 1500-ft (457.2-m) field length can be loaded to maximum fuel capacity. In this case the range increases from 500 n. mi. to 1400 n. mi. while the runway length increases from 1500 ft (457.2 m) to 2075 ft (632.5 m). The business jet studies showed that the application of advanced propulsive-lift technology to this class aircraft can result in payload-range-speed performance comparable to current aircraft with about one-half the runway length requirement.