Radia WindRunner

[martinbayer]

Let's make it a VTOL and have some popcorn...

 

[OliverSedlacek]

That wasn't the CONOPS I read, they clearly talked about landing more or less at the site of the turbine generators.

You're better informed than me. My suggestion is more as a fall back.

 

[Stargazer]

Windrunner: Why there won’t be a scale prototype for the world’s biggest aircraft​

The company developing what is set to be by far the biggest aircraft the world has ever seen - the Windrunner - will not fly a scale prototype. Radia CEO, Mark Lundstrom, explains why in a wide-ranging interview with AGN on the sidelines of the Paris Air Show.

Read article here: Aerospace Global News


A model of the Windrunner was displayed at Paris Air Show. Photo: Joanna Bailey

 

[Scott Kenny]

Windrunner: Why there won’t be a scale prototype for the world’s biggest aircraft​

The company developing what is set to be by far the biggest aircraft the world has ever seen - the Windrunner - will not fly a scale prototype. Radia CEO, Mark Lundstrom, explains why in a wide-ranging interview with AGN on the sidelines of the Paris Air Show.

Read article here: Aerospace Global News

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A model of the Windrunner was displayed at Paris Air Show. Photo: Joanna Bailey

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If they're still talking about unimproved runways near the wind turbine areas, the design would be much better served with turboprops than fans. So that wing with 4x A400 engines per side, maybe even 6x per side.

 

[OliverSedlacek]

If they're still talking about unimproved runways near the wind turbine areas, the design would be much better served with turboprops than fans. So that wing with 4x A400 engines per side, maybe even 6x per side.

Might go against the ethos of using only 'off the shelf' proven components.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Might go against the ethos of using only 'off the shelf' proven components.

A400 engines are proven. You just need more of them.

Or are you/they meaning "parts we pulled out of the Boneyard"?

 

[Nicknick]

Might be the right approach for the prototype, Stratolaunch did that too, at least to a certain degree...

 

[martinbayer]

Please, bring on the megaplanes...

 

[OliverSedlacek]

A400 engines are proven. You just need more of them.

Or are you/they meaning "parts we pulled out of the Boneyard"?

Even though the engines are all proven and certified, using more than 4 will mean changes to the cockpit controls etc that call for more risk assessment and certifion. Then the fuel system with more permutations of 'tank to engine' feeds.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Even though the engines are all proven and certified, using more than 4 will mean changes to the cockpit controls etc that call for more risk assessment and certifion. Then the fuel system with more permutations of 'tank to engine' feeds.

So talk to whoever is doing the B-52 8-engine FADEC cockpit interface design and "acquire" a set, then install the prop controls.

Turbofans are distinctly suboptimal for dirt runway operations.

 

[OliverSedlacek]

I'm not disagreeing with your logic, just suggesting Radia will go with a sub-optimal solution as being easier to get flying. I've worked on enough projects where obviously good proposals were squashed by the cost of getting approval.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I'm not disagreeing with your logic, just suggesting Radia will go with a sub-optimal solution as being easier to get flying. I've worked on enough projects where obviously good proposals were squashed by the cost of getting approval.

It's just that the turbofans are so bad for dirt strips and anything approximating STOL performance...

And refitting the wing for props-at-wing-level versus podded-jets is a major redesign, so if you don't do it at Prototype it'll never happen at all.

 

[Grey Havoc]

The mods may want to merge this and then move the thread over to Aviation & Space:

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/radia-windrunner.43192/

 

[OliverSedlacek]

Yep, that's the way these things go....

 

[Forest Green]

How Radia hopes to move DoD cargo with the world’s largest airplane​

How Radia hopes to move DoD cargo with the world's largest airplane - Breaking Defense

While designed primarily to move massive wind turbine blades, the WindRunner aircraft under development by Radia could serve military applications, with the Pentagon and US Congress taking an interest in the aircraft’s utility for the DoD.

breakingdefense.com

 

[alberchico]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1969365409120792586

View: https://x.com/TheDeadDistrict/status/1969365409120792586

https://twitter.com/x/status/1969352330073010273

View: https://x.com/FaySue6/status/1969352330073010273

 

[OliverSedlacek]

Re turbofans and dirt strips, those engine intakes are long way up!

 

[fightingirish]

Some additional pictures I discovered on the German aviation magazine website "FlugRevue".
Source (in German and restricted by a paywall):

Radia WindRunner: Wird das größte Flugzeug der Welt zum Militärfrachter?

Das US-Start-up Radia will aus seinem erst projektierten Windturbinenblatt-Spezialtransporter WindRunner noch einen Großraumfrachter für das US-Militär ableiten. Dieses größte Flugzeug der Welt soll dort durch einen extrem langen Laderaum und die Kurzlandefähigkeit auf schlechten Pisten punkten.

www.flugrevue.de