Bombardier's EcoJet Program Takes Bigger Step

One year after Bombardier unveiled its small-scale EcoJet blended-wing research demonstrator, the Canadian airframer revealed the existence of its bigger brother on Monday at EBACE 2023. Bombardier (Booth K40, Static AD-09) added that the aircraft achieved first flight late last year.

At twice the size of the previous scale model, this new aircraft—with its 18-foot wingspan—represents the conclusion of the first phase of the test program and the start of the second. The company believes this second phase will eventually deliver a lower-carbon emissions aircraft design in pursuit of the industry’s goal to be net-zero emissions by 2050.

“The technology that we have on the EcoJet program is how we at Bombardier are going to get there,” said Stephen McCullough, the Montreal-based company’s senior v-p of engineering and product development. “As we get closer and closer to what the full scale will be, the results have better resolution.”

The project aims to reduce aircraft emissions by up to 50 percent through aerodynamic and propulsion improvements. Among them, the aircraft’s design includes what Bombardier describes as its sixth-generation transonic wing. EcoJet further demonstrates a new aircraft control architecture. “The EcoJet research project has garnered a high level of interest across the industry, and we are looking forward to mobilizing partners as we continue to define the future of business aviation,” said McCullough.

As to whether the next step in the program would be a full-scale aircraft, McCullough noted that as the aircraft design scales up, it will allow for the installation of more representative equipment than smaller versions. But he added a determination has not yet been made. “It’s a technology demonstration platform, and really we will get through the phase of the larger-scale model that we have today, and then we will decide what is the next-step size—if there is a next-step size—to mature the technology,” he told AIN.