Next time you get on a plane, look out the window. I'm going to be very brutal (and a little ignorant, but it's for a good cause). You'll see what passengers have seen for a century: a flying tube with two wings attached. But a small startup called Natilus has “dared” to challenge the aviation giants and says it is ready to change all this.
The ace in the hole? An idea that many have been buzzing around for decades. As simple as it is revolutionary: what if the plane was all wings?
Natilus, a gauntlet to tradition
The history of commercial aviation, as mentioned, is dominated by a design that dates back to the 30s: the classic tube-and-wing configuration. A proven design that has served the industry well for a very long time, but which today shows its limitations in terms of efficiency e sustainability.
Natilus proposes a radically different solution: the Blended Wing Body (BWB), a design where the wing and fuselage merge into a single fluid shape.
An aerodynamic revolution
The concept behind the BWB is not new, on the contrary: it is even older. Its origins date back to the 20s and it has already found some applications, for example in the bomber B-1 Lancer. But these are the times when for the first time this design can be brought to large-scale commercial aviation. The absence of a clear separation between the wing and the fuselage dramatically reduces aerodynamic drag, while the entire structure contributes to lift.
As emphasized Alexey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of Natilus:
“The commercial aviation industry is looking for real solutions to become more sustainable, efficient and profitable”
The numbers of the future
The numbers are impressive. Horizon, the new Natilus aircraft, promises to carry 200 passengers on the New York-London route with 50% less emissions and 30% less fuel consumption. The internal volume increases by 40%, placing the aircraft in the same load class as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.
All that flies is not gold
Airports will have to be modified to accommodate these new planes, although Natilus assures that Horizon is already compatible with existing infrastructure. Then there is the question of passengers: how will they react to a design where windows could be a rare luxury?
Relative problems, considering the stage we are in: with Boeing in very serious financial trouble and a demand for aircraft that exceeds production capacity, the time seems propitious for a new player in the market. He knows it well JetZero, they know it well in Delft, everyone who is testing the solution knows that.
Natilus, towards 2030
Horizon should be ready for its first customers in the early 30s. An ambitious challenge that could redefine the future of commercial aviation. The giants of the industry will certainly not sit idly by: they could develop their own BWB projects or, as often happens, try to acquire the newcomer.
One thing we can already say, however: the future of commercial aviation could be very different from what we know.
