The Burnelli Lifting-Body principle of design (a.k.a. Burnelli Lifting-Body technology) is superior to the conventional aircraft for the following reasons:
The conventional aircraft manufacturers commonly and irresponsibly hang engines and landing gear onto fuel tank supporting structure in combination with excessively high take-off and landing speeds on overstressed tires with little aircraft supporting structure to protect passengers in case of a crash.
Conversely, in Burnelli aircraft:
The engines and landing gear, the major fire sources, are attached to the robust fuselage, isolating them from close proximity to the fuel supply, with slower take-off and landing speeds and where a majority of the aircraft structure protects passengers in case of crash.
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For more in-depth explanations see:
* The use of Burnelli airliners would reduce air crash fatalities by 85%
* The [Burnelli] Solution
Arjen
January 13, 2010There are so many, very good alternatives for todays airplanes. Most of them invented a long time ago allready.
Strangely, even when you study these designs and proof that there is no snag somewhere, they doesnt seem to be able to compete with the conventional aircraft.
Lifting bodies are interesting for a few other reasons too: In case of safety: the low aspec ratio makes it more stall and spin resistant, and it stays better controlable at lower speeds.
lucasch46
May 10, 2016MIT and NASA, double bubble design? Not a Burnelli?? ????
Larry Pope
September 18, 2017The Double Bubble design is not a Burnelli. These are 2 regular fuselage tubes wrapped together in an aluminum skin and not an actual airfoil shape. They are still only tubes to hold pressure.
It’s also an obsolete idea since NASA perfected a composite in 2015 (PRSEUS) strong enough to be formed into any shape and be safely pressurized in the same way as the tubular fuselage of today. There is now every reason to test the original Lifting Fuselage idea to current airliner design limits and specifications.