2008-2009 Academic Year Competition
Fundamental Aeronautics Student
Competition
High School Division: 2008-2009 Academic Year
Small Supersonic Airliner: What
will it take?
Background:
For the first time in the history of commercial aviation,
we have taken a step backward. We had the capability
to fly faster than sound with commercial transports,
as demonstrated by the Concorde. There are no
commercial supersonic aircraft flying today. How
do we enable people to cover large distances (across
continents and oceans) quickly without placing an excessive
burden on our environment?
The Supersonics Project, part of NASA's Fundamental
Aeronautics Program, has identified a set of key technical
challenges that are barriers to success for practical
supersonic cruise vehicles. Some of these barriers
include:
- Efficiency challenges, including supersonic cruise
efficiency. There are two principal elements
to supersonic cruise efficiency—propulsion efficiency
and airframe aerodynamic efficiency—and these must
be treated as an integrated challenge.
- Environmental challenges, including airport noise
reduction, sonic boom modeling, and high-altitude
emissions reduction.
For this academic year challenge, we offer two levels
of the contest for high school students.
Regular curriculum students: Offer
a detailed look at what needs to be accomplished
in order to have supersonic commercial flight by
2020. Present your documented review of the pros
and cons of supersonic flight, the challenges and
the solutions. Include your informed description
of the potential customers for this new service and
how the service may fit with existing airport traffic.
Advanced curriculum students: Offer
your designs for a highly efficient, environmentally
friendly, low boom, commercial aircraft with an Initial
Operational Capability (IOC) of 2020.* Your design
should addresses the efficiency, environmental
and performance goals described below.
- Cruise speed = Mach 1.6 to 1.8
- Design Range = 4000 nautical miles
- Payload = 35 – 70 passenger range (mixed class)
- Fuel Efficiency = 3 passenger-miles per pound of
fuel
- Takeoff field length < 10,000 feet
For details on eligibility, due dates, notice of intent,
submission requirements, paper format, evaluation criteria,
and awards, consult the pages on this web site.
- Notices of intent due December 15, 2008
- Final papers due March 15, 2009
- Results announced on or before May 1, 2009
For more details on the current NASA Supersonic Project,
please consult the Fundamental
Aeronautics Program website and the Recommended Reading
section of the contest main
page.
URL for Fundamental Aeronautics Program
http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/fap/supersonic.html
Contest Details:
+ Dates, Eligibility, and
Resources
+ Submission Requirements
+ Evaluation Criteria
+ Awards
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