Could This Change Air Travel Forever?

Summary

The video by Mustard explores the groundbreaking concept of oblique wing aircraft design, a radical idea championed by NASA engineer Robert Jones since the 1950s. These aircrafts utilize a single pivoting wing that optimizes flight efficiency at both subsonic and supersonic speeds, unlike traditional symmetrical designs. While significant research in the mid to late 20th century showed promise for oblique wings in achieving faster, more efficient air travel, the concept struggled to gain traction within the conservative aviation industry. However, with advancements in technology and increasing demand for innovative aviation solutions, there is hope that oblique wings might still revolutionize air travel in the future.

Highlights

• NASA's oblique wing aircraft design proposes faster and more efficient travel compared to traditional symmetrical designs. ✈️
• Robert Jones and NASA tested oblique wings extensively, proving their stability and control in both real-world tests and simulations. 🌐
• Despite its promise, the funding challenges and conservative tendencies within the aviation industry have hindered development of oblique wing aircraft. 💸
• The project showed potential for reduced noise and pollution, along with better fuel efficiency. 🌿
• Future advancements in flight control technologies could help realize the potential of oblique wings, though skepticism remains high in the industry. 🔧

Key Takeaways

• The concept of oblique wings, proposed by NASA engineer Robert Jones, challenges traditional symmetrical aircraft designs. ✈️
• Oblique wings can perform efficiently at various speeds, making faster, more efficient air travel possible. 🚀
• Despite the potential, the conservative nature of the aviation industry has slowed the adoption of oblique wings. 🛑
• Modern advancements in technology could eventually see oblique wings take to the skies, leading to revolutionary changes in air travel. 🌍
• NASA's past research, including the AD-1, showcased the technical feasibility of oblique wings, but real-world application remains limited. 🛠️

Overview

In the heart of aeronautical innovation lies the concept of oblique wing aircraft, a visionary idea initiated by NASA engineer Robert Jones. Unlike traditional designs that focus on symmetry, oblique wings feature a single pivoting wing capable of optimizing performance at both subsonic and supersonic speeds. This ingenuity could overturn limitations faced by conventional aircraft, pushing the boundaries of speed and efficiency in air travel.

Though extensive research and prototypes throughout the mid-20th century demonstrated the oblique wing's potential, skepticism from the traditionally conservative aviation industry posed significant challenges. Experimental aircraft like NASA's AD-1 showcased the real-world applicability, but budget constraints and risk-averse tendencies stalled further development. The hurdles encountered emphasized the necessity for technological advancements to support such revolutionary designs.

Today, the potential of oblique wings remains an unfulfilled promise. As the aviation industry slowly pivots towards innovation, further exploration into oblique wing technology could well become integral to modern aerospace advancements. With the rise of new flight control systems and computational capabilities, the dreams of achieving faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly air travel may someday soar high, thanks to the foundation laid by pioneers like Robert Jones.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction to Symmetry in Aviation The chapter introduces the concept of symmetry in aviation, noting that in nature, anything that flies exhibits symmetry. Initially, human flight mimicked this natural symmetry. However, with advancements toward higher speeds, the persistent focus on symmetry might have been misguided. In the 1950s, a NASA engineer proposed a groundbreaking approach, demonstrating through theory and prototypes that aircraft do not need to be symmetrical. This approach had significant implications for the field of aviation.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Historical Speed Increases This chapter discusses the historical increases in aircraft speed. It starts by mentioning the belief that current aircraft should be much faster and efficient. The chapter traces the evolution of aircraft speed since the beginning of aviation. In the 1920s, aircraft could barely reach speeds of 300 kilometers per hour. By the 1940s, aircraft speeds had tripled. However, a limit was encountered, suggesting a point beyond which aircraft could not increase in speed.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Breaking the Sound Barrier The chapter titled 'Breaking the Sound Barrier' explores the challenges and breakthroughs in achieving supersonic flight. Pilots initially referred to 'the sound barrier' as a significant obstacle because, at high speeds, aircraft would stop accelerating, become difficult to control, and face severe stress that could lead to structural failure. However, in 1947, a test pilot succeeded in flying an experimental aircraft faster than the speed of sound, demonstrating that the sound barrier could be overcome. The chapter reveals that supersonic flight is governed by different aerodynamic principles.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Challenges of Supersonic Design Engineers achieved mastery over supersonic flight physics, pushing speed boundaries. The new challenge was designing dual-regime aircraft. Aircraft optimized for supersonic performance inherently performed poorly at subsonic speeds due to conflicting ideal wing designs: long/straight for subsonic vs. thin/swept for supersonic.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Variable Sweep Wings Engineers faced challenges generating lift at lower speeds and eventually developed variable sweep wings. These wings acted like straight wings at subsonic speeds and swept back for supersonic flight. However, this design presented new issues, such as the need for robust pivot mechanisms to handle forces, and required compensatory systems to manage shifts in the center of lift, contributing to increased weight and complexity.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Robert Jones and the Delta Wing The chapter discusses the challenges and outcomes of developing and using variable sweep wings in aircraft, highlighting that despite their engineering promise, they were ultimately only applied in a limited number of military aircraft that are no longer in production. It emphasizes the inherent trade-offs associated with flying faster, which persisted even though the sound barrier was not a true barrier. The chapter introduces Robert Jones in 1955, noting his growing reputation as a leading aeronautical engineer at NASA.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Introduction to the Oblique Wing The chapter introduces the concept of the oblique wing, highlighting its radical and unconventional design of a single wing rotating on a center pivot. Initially appearing counterintuitive, this design, explored by an engineer with significant advancements in delta wing technology, was proven viable through wind tunnel tests and radio-controlled prototypes.
• 03:30 - 04:00: Supersonic and Subsonic Efficiency The chapter discusses the efficiency of different wing designs, particularly focused on supersonic and subsonic speeds. It highlights the stability and controllability of aircraft with swept forward wings, explaining that air does not differentiate between a forward or backward sweep when generating lift. The narrative challenges the traditional notion that highly swept arrow-shaped wings are ideal for minimizing drag. Jones' experiments demonstrated that at transonic and supersonic speeds, asymmetrically arranged wings can offer advantages.
• 04:00 - 04:30: Historical Context and Development The chapter discusses the historical context and development of aerodynamic designs, particularly focusing on the oblique wing concept introduced by Jones. The oblique wing had a significantly lower predicted wave drag compared to bilateral symmetry configurations and variable-sweep wings, offering a more efficient design. The ability of the oblique wing to transform itself back into an ideal straight wing at lower speeds made it a versatile option. Additionally, the simplicity of the design, with just a single pivot mechanism managing one force, made it easier to build compared to variable-sweep wings.
• 04:30 - 05:00: NASA's Oblique Wing Research This chapter explores NASA's research into oblique wings, highlighting the advantages such as reduced weight, less complexity, and stable lift regardless of wing position. Historical insights reveal that German documents from 1942 had also considered oblique wings, though no prototypes were made then. The work of Jones and NASA engineers in this field signaled a significant advancement in aircraft design.
• 05:00 - 05:30: Commercial Potential of Oblique Wings The chapter delves into the exploration of oblique wings and their commercial potential, detailing NASA's advancements from wind tunnel tests to developing a large-scale, remotely operated model to assess real-world performance. Simultaneously, major aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Lockheed evaluated the feasibility of oblique wings for future commercial use, concluding their potential for enhancing the speed and efficiency of air travel, with Boeing's study particularly garnering NASA's interest.
• 05:30 - 06:00: Development of the AD-1 The chapter discusses the challenges faced by the Concorde in the 1970s, highlighting its potential as a commercial failure primarily due to its advanced delta wing design. The wing, although a marvel of engineering, was inefficient at low speeds, necessitating fuel-intensive afterburners for takeoff, ultimately contributing to the difficulties in achieving mass supersonic air travel.
• 06:00 - 06:30: Challenges in Flight Testing The chapter discusses the challenges faced during the flight testing phase, particularly with supersonic flights. Countries banned supersonic flights over their airspace due to the loud noise created by sonic booms, which presented a problem since aircraft like the Concorde were not designed to operate efficiently at subsonic speeds. Boeing proposed the development of an oblique wing airliner, which promised to overcome these issues by flying efficiently at various speeds and being able to cruise at up to Mach 1.2 without generating a ground-audible sonic boom.
• 06:30 - 07:00: Testing Limitations and Future Prospects The chapter titled 'Testing Limitations and Future Prospects' discusses advancements in aviation technology, with a focus on transcontinental flights. It highlights that the new aircraft designs can operate 50% faster than existing airliners while maintaining lower power requirements, particularly during takeoff, landing, and holding around busy airports. These advancements significantly reduce noise and pollution around airport areas. NASA, recognizing the potential of these advancements, decided to proceed with further development, initiating a project in 1976 to create a scaled-down version of Boeing's design, marking a significant step towards creating the world's first human-operated model.
• 07:00 - 07:30: Navy Interest and Project Cancellations This chapter discusses the Navy's interest in the development of an oblique wing aircraft. The NASA AD-1 aircraft is highlighted as a case study, showcasing its ambitious goals despite its modest design and construction. The plane was crafted using fiberglass-reinforced plastic and foam core materials, and powered by two small jet engines offering less than 500 pounds of thrust. The cockpit features minimal instrumentation, with no advanced fly-by-wire or computer-aided control systems, relying on manual piloting.
• 07:30 - 08:00: Jones' Continued Research The chapter discusses the experiences and challenges faced by test pilots flying the AD-1 aircraft during its test flights. Developed on a limited budget, there was skepticism within NASA about heavily investing in this new, yet-to-be-validated airplane concept. Despite these concerns, the AD-1 was instrumental in providing valuable real-world data. Over 79 test flights, pilots adjusted the AD-1's wing pivot from zero to 60 degrees, demonstrating that manual control was generally straightforward, though it required skill, especially at higher pivot angles.
• 08:00 - 08:30: Modern Considerations of Oblique Wings The chapter titled 'Modern Considerations of Oblique Wings' discusses the challenges encountered when maneuvering aircraft with oblique wings, specifically the AD-1 model. At a 45-degree oblique angle, the aircraft experiences a phenomenon known as cross coupling, where pitching up or down causes it to roll left or right, and vice versa. At a 60-degree angle, pilots constantly have to bank and yaw to maintain a straight and level flight. The issues described were anticipated, and the collected data reaffirmed this understanding.
• 08:30 - 09:00: Conservatism in Aviation Industry The chapter discusses the adoption of conservatism in the aviation industry, focusing on the development and limitations of oblique wing technology. It highlights the AD-1 aircraft, which featured an innovative wing structure and computerized flight control system but was limited in speed. The chapter also touches on the U.S. Navy's interest in this technology during the 1980s.
• 09:00 - 09:30: Legacy of Robert Jones The chapter titled 'Legacy of Robert Jones' delves into the history of fighter aircraft development, focusing on the significant improvements in take-off performance and loiter time for carrier-based fighters. These enhancements were crucial for the next-generation fleet defense fighters meant to succeed the F-14. The narrative describes a significant collaboration formed in 1984 between the Navy and NASA to build the first supersonic oblique wing test-bed. Using the F-8 Crusader as a starting point, the text outlines the suitability of its high wing design for oblique wing modifications and notes previous experiments conducted by NASA on the F-8 to pioneer fly-by-wire technologies. The endeavor was backed by a budget of thirty-six million dollars.
• 09:30 - 10:00: Introduction to Lockheed's CL-1201 The introduction provides an overview of Lockheed's CL-1201 project, detailing the timeline for its completion and the reasons for its eventual cancellation. Initially, the design work was scheduled to be finished by 1986, with construction by 1990 and a first flight in May 1991. The design phase was successful; however, due to economic constraints and budget deficits faced by the Navy, funding was pulled in 1986. NASA was unable to continue the program or find alternative funding, leading to the project's official cancellation in 1987.
• 10:00 - 10:30: Benefits of Nebula The chapter titled 'Benefits of Nebula' focuses on the persistent research into oblique wing aircraft despite its setbacks. The transcript talks about Jones, a researcher who despite the decline in interest, continued to work on the concept into his 80s during the 1990s. He eventually shifted his focus towards developing a pure oblique flying wing, which was aimed at achieving high aerodynamic efficiency and the ability to fly at Mach 1.5 with favorable operating economics.
• 10:30 - 11:00: Nebula's Unique Offerings This chapter discusses the potential of the oblique wing concept as a unique offering in aviation, specifically for modern subsonic transports. Although studies have shown its potential, real-world advantages at transonic and supersonic speeds are yet to be tested. Challenges at extreme wing pivots exist, but modern flight control technologies could help overcome these issues.

Could This Change Air Travel Forever? Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 In nature, anything that flies has  symmetry. And in the early days of   human flight, mimicking nature made sense. But as we pushed on to ever higher speeds,   our stubborn insistence on symmetry might’ve  been a mistake. In the 1950's, a brilliant NASA   engineer began to push for a radical new approach.  Proving theoretically and with prototypes,   that aircraft didn't have to be symmetrical. The implications of his work are profound. It
• 00:30 - 01:00 suggests we should be flying a lot faster  and more efficiently than we are today.   Since the dawn of flight, aircraft had been  getting faster. In 1920, the fastest plane   could barely reach 300 kilometers an hour.  By the 1940's, they were already flying   three times as fast. But there seemed to be  a limit beyond which they simply couldn't go.
• 01:00 - 01:30 Pilots called it "the sound barrier". Above a certain speed, aircraft stopped   accelerating, control became increasingly  difficult, and stress forces could even cause   an aircraft to break apart in mid-air. But in  1947, a daring test pilot flew an experimental   plane beyond the speed of sound. Proving that  the sound barrier wasn't a barrier at all.   It’s just that supersonic flight revolved around  a different set of aerodynamic principles.
• 01:30 - 02:00 In the decades that followed, engineers  mastered the physics of flying supersonic,   pushing speeds ever higher. But a new challenge  emerged. Designing an aircraft that would perform   well in both flight regimes. Any aircraft  optimized for supersonic flight, would by   definition, fly poorly at subsonic speeds. Because the ideal wing at lower speeds was long   and straight. But for supersonic flight,  it was thin or sharply swept. A shape that
• 02:00 - 02:30 struggled to generate lift at lower speeds. Engineers struggled to find a solution.   Eventually coming up with a kind of wing  that could transform in mid air. Functioning   more like a straight wing at subsonic speeds  and sweeping back for supersonic flight.   But variable sweep wings created their own set  of problems. Pivot mechanisms had to bear immense   lift, rotational, and bending forces. Shifts  in the center of lift had to be compensated for   with larger stabilizers or other systems. All  of which added weight and complexity, largely
• 02:30 - 03:00 undoing performance gains. Variable sweep wings  were only successfully applied to a small number   of military aircraft. None of which are still  produced today. The sound barrier might not have   been an actual barrier, but it seemed that flying  faster would always involve serious trade offs.   By 1955, Robert Jones had made a name for  himself as one of NASA’s top aeronautical
• 03:00 - 03:30 engineers. His groundbreaking work on  the delta wing, once met with skepticism,   had led to the greatest aerodynamic  transformation since the very invention   of the airplane. But his life-long passion lay  in an entirely different kind of design.   It was called an oblique wing. A radical concept  consisting of a single wing that rotated on a   center pivot. Intuitively, it looks all wrong.  As if it would simply corkscrew its way through   the sky. But through wind tunnel tests and with  radio-controlled prototypes, Jones proved that
• 03:30 - 04:00 they were surprisingly stable and controllable. Because when it comes to generating lift,   the air doesn't really care whether a wing  is swept forward or backwards. So it can   fly. But why build an aircraft like this? Intuitively a highly swept arrow shape seems like   the correct way to minimize drag. But that’s  simply not the case. Jones demonstrated that   at transonic and supersonic speeds, the  same wing when arranged asymmetrically,
• 04:00 - 04:30 had a much lower predicted wave drag. And so there was no rational reason to favor   bilateral symmetry, when it was actually  less efficient. But Jones’s oblique wing   had another important advantage. It could  also perform optimally at lower speeds by   transforming itself back into the ideal straight  wing. And compared to variable-sweep wings,   oblique wings would be easier to build. With a  single pivot mechanism handling just one force,
• 04:30 - 05:00 it would be lighter and less complex. And the  center of lift would remain virtually unchanged   regardless of the wing’s position. Secret German documents uncovered after   World War Two suggest that oblique wings  were even studied as far back as 1942,   although no prototypes were ever built. On the verge of an aeronautical breakthrough,   Jones and NASA engineers were about  to change aircraft design forever.
• 05:00 - 05:30 This is not an ordinary plane. It has a  scissor-like design. By the mid-1970’s,   NASA moved beyond wind tunnel  tests to develop a large-scale,   remotely operated model that could evaluate  the oblique wing’s real-world performance   and handling characteristics. Meanwhile, leading aircraft designers   Boeing and Lockheed were also asked  to study oblique wings and evaluate   their potential for future commercial aircraft.  Both concluded that they could lead to faster,   more efficient air travel. But it was Boeing’s  study that really caught NASA’s attention.
• 05:30 - 06:00 Because by 1975, the dream of mass supersonic  air travel had all but faded as Concorde looked   set to become a commercial failure. And  it had everything to do with the wing.   Engineers had spent more time developing  Concorde’s advanced delta wing than any   other part of the aircraft. But it was  still hopelessly inefficient at low speeds,   producing so little lift that Concorde needed  fuel-thirsty afterburners to take off.
• 06:00 - 06:30 And when countries banned supersonic flights  over their airspace due to concerns over loud   sonic booms, flying slower wasn’t really  an option. Concorde wasn't designed to   cruise at subsonic speeds, where its  operating economics were terrible.   But Boeing concluded that an oblique wing  airliner would have none of these problems.   Because it would be capable of flying efficiently  at a range of speeds and cruise at up to Mach 1.2   without even generating a sonic boom that could  be heard on the ground. And that would allow for
• 06:30 - 07:00 transcontinental flights over populated areas 50  percent faster than existing airliners.   Power requirements for takeoff, landing,  and holding around busy airports would   also be a lot lower, dramatically cutting  noise and pollution around airports.   NASA was impressed enough to take the next leap  forward. In 1976, development began on a scaled   down version of Boeing’s design. Not a remotely  operated model, but the world’s first human
• 07:00 - 07:30 piloted oblique wing aircraft. NASA’s objectives were ambitious,   but the AD-1 was modest in design, built mostly  from fiberglass-reinforced-plastic and foam core.   Two tiny jet engines provided less than five  hundred pounds of thrust for motivation. The   cockpit had only the bare essentials. No fly by  wire or computer assistance, it would be flown
• 07:30 - 08:00 entirely by the skilled hands of a test pilot. Built on a shoestring budget, many at NASA were   cautious about investing huge resources into a  still unproven concept. But the AD-1 would back up   NASA’s research with real-world data. In a total  of 79 test flights, the AD-1’s wing was gradually   pivoted from zero all the way to 60 degrees. Even flown entirely by hand, control was fairly   straightforward. And at lower pivot angles, any  reasonably skilled pilot could manage. But above
• 08:00 - 08:30 45 degrees, maneuvering was more challenging,  with a phenomenon called cross coupling   becoming an issue. Pitching the AD-1 up or down  caused it to roll left or right. While rolling   left or right caused it to pitch up or down. At a full 60 degrees, pilots had to continually   bank and yaw to the right to keep the  aircraft flying straight and level.   None of these issues were all that surprising,  and data gathered showed that the AD-1 would
• 08:30 - 09:00 have handled significantly better with  an improved wing structure and the help   of a computerized flight control system. But the AD-1 maxed out at just 320 kilometers   an hour, nowhere near the transonic speeds,  where oblique wings could begin to show their   potential. For that, NASA would have to  turn to a renowned Navy fighter jet.   By the 1980's, the U.S. Navy had also taken an  interest in oblique wings. Because an oblique wing
• 09:00 - 09:30 fighter could offer superior take-off performance  from a carrier and increased loiter time. Both   were prized capabilities for a next generation  fleet defense fighter to replace the F-14.   In 1984, the Navy and NASA signed a joint  partnership to develop the first supersonic   oblique test-bed. And the F-8 Crusader was an  ideal place to start. Its high wing could be   modified to accommodate an oblique wing and  NASA had already experimented with the F-8   to develop fly by wire technologies. A modest thirty six million dollars were
• 09:30 - 10:00 allocated to the project. Design work was  to finish by 1986, construction by 1990,   and the first flight was planned for May 1991. But after a successful design phase, the aircraft   never got off the ground. By 1986 the Navy, caught  up in deep budget deficits and cost overruns on   other experimental programs, suddenly pulled  funding. NASA couldn't carry the program alone,   nor could it find a new partner. In 1987,  the project was officially canceled.
• 10:00 - 10:30 After nearly half a century,  intensive research into oblique   wing aircraft largely came to an end. Jones never gave up on the oblique wing. He   continued his research into the 1990’s, even  at the age of 80. Eventually shifting his   attention to the development of a pure oblique  flying wing, a concept that promised to be the   pinnacle of aerodynamic efficiency and fly at  Mach 1.5 with operating economics approaching
• 10:30 - 11:00 that of a modern subsonic transport. Over the years, dozens of studies have   demonstrated the potential of the oblique  wing. And in NASA’s own words, it remains   a viable concept for large transports. But real-world advantages at transonic and   supersonic speeds have yet to be tested  in flight, and the challenges of flying at   extreme wing pivots remain. Modern flight control  technologies would go a long way to help realize
• 11:00 - 11:30 the advantages. But the aviation industry  is conservative by nature. Aircraft today   look strikingly similar to those designed  over a half century ago. The reality is,   it’s less risky for the industry to spend billions  eking out single-digit gains in efficiency with a   proven design, than it is to start from scratch  with a radical concept like the oblique wing.   That’s why well funded research programs like  NASA's AD-1 are invaluable to the advancement
• 11:30 - 12:00 of aerospace. Jones passed away in 1999, having  made some of the most important discoveries in the   history of aerodynamics. And his groundbreaking  research has left many convinced that despite   obstacles, it’s only a matter of time  before oblique wings take to the skies.   Aviation is full of big ideas. But some of  them are a little bigger than others. In 1969,
• 12:00 - 12:30 Lockheed set out to determine just how  large an aircraft could get, and what it   would mean for U.S. airpower. Lockheed's six  thousand ton nuclear powered flying aircraft   carriers are some of the most fascinating  and bizarre aircraft ever imagined.   You can learn about the incredible CL-1201  in my latest video, now on Nebula.   Nebula is where you’ll find hours of exclusive  Mustard videos that aren’t available anywhere
• 12:30 - 13:00 else. Videos that explore the fascinating stories  behind iconic machines and fantastic unrealized   concepts. It's also where I experiment with  new formats. To help explain the CL-1201,   I hired a former BBC news reporter. Engineers are confident that the reactor   will be fail-safe, even in a head-on  impact with a granite mountain.   And that’s something I would have hesitated  to do on YouTube, where experimenting with   new formats is a lot more risky. On YouTube,  the algorithm decides which videos you get
• 13:00 - 13:30 to see. And that pressures creators to  stick to proven formats to chase views.   But on Nebula, there’s no algorithm. There’s  only you. And that means I can make videos   specifically for Mustard viewers. Covering  fascinating technical details in depth,   and bringing lesser-known concepts to life. And there’s one other important difference. Nebula   is owned directly by us, the creators.  That means your support goes directly
• 13:30 - 14:00 into funding high quality projects that  otherwise could never have been made.   When you sign up for Nebula, you also  get access to Nebula Classes, where you   can even take entire courses on how to become a  creator yourself. Sign up using the link below,   and you’ll get a $20 discount, meaning for  just $2.50 a month, you’ll support Mustard.   And in return, you’ll get access to tons of new  premium content from your favorite creators.