EPFL flies high

The École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), systematically ranked as Europe’s No 1 University in the fields of Engineering, Technology and Computer Sciences and one of the world’s best Universities, will visit the Paris Air show this week with what it calls a “futuristic modular plane”.

Engineers will show a model of a 'flying wing' in Paris, the full scale version of which will be designed to hold up to three capsules, each capable of carrying up to 150 passengers.
EPFL claims that the Clip-Air plane would allow passengers to “board a capsule to reach the airport by rail, and then – without leaving their seat, fly to another city". It also suggests that the project would allow for more flexible and efficient management of aircraft as flights could be adapted to carry passengers, cargo or a mix of both, depending on demand allowing airlines to say goodbye to the industry’s long unsolved problem of empty planes.
This revolution in mobility also holds the potential to address environmental concerns by halving the CO2 emissions of conventional aircraft, while carrying as many passengers as three A320 aircraft with half the number of engines.
Project chief Claudio Leonardi admits that while “we still have several barriers to break” and with the concept being at odds with current aircraft technology, the project is still worth working on given the huge impact on society.
The Clip-Air project has been in existence since 2009 and researchers admit that while the project remains “very futuristic”, it is technically feasible. For now, the Clip-Air aircraft remains a 1.2 metre model.

Source: EPFL