I_M_The_M@lemmy.worldtoNews@lemmy.world•Air Force awards a start-up company $235 million to build an example of a sleek new plane
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1 year agoI work for a subcontractor that’s been consulting for this project since November and even virtually attended some of the Wednesday briefing mentioned in the article. The body is actually designed specifically to work with existing airport infrastructures… Much much much cheaper not to reinvent the wheel when you don’t have to. The passenger airline is actually their biggest long-term goal: the air force/refuelling use case is how they plan to fund the long-term goals.
Also, I believe this is roughly the size of a 737 - the passenger deck is no wider than a 747s, and it’s not like window seats on the bigger jets aren’t comfortable.
I was (virtually) at the Aug 16 briefing. The AP article doesn’t mention it, but they’re calling the design the XBW-1. Cool stuff!