| X-55 ACCA | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Technology demonstrator |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed MartinSkunk Works |
| Primary user | United States Air Force |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | 2 June 2009 |
| Developed from | Fairchild Dornier 328JET |
TheLockheed Martin X-55 Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA) is an experimentaltwinjettransport aircraft. It is intended to demonstrate newair cargo-carrier capabilities using advancedcomposite materials. A project of theUnited States Air Force'sAir Force Research Laboratory, it was built by the international aerospace companyLockheed Martin, at its Advanced Development Programs (Skunk Works) facility inPalmdale, California.
The X-55 is a one-off aircraft intended to demonstrate the use of advanced composite materials in the fuselage of an otherwise conventionalhigh-wing transport aircraft. There are no plans to place the X-55 into production.
Lockheed Martin's design for Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA) was chosen overAurora Flight Sciences' design based on theAntonov An-72 in 2007.[1] The aircraft is powered by twoPratt & Whitney CanadaPW306Bturbofans.[2] The X-55 design is based on the existingFairchild Dornier 328JET. The fuselage of that aircraft, which is constructed ofaluminium alloys, was replaced aft of the entrance door with a newly designed fuselage. The new design makes extensive use of advanced composite materials, selected to allowout of autoclave curing at lower temperatures and pressures than previous materials. The new widened fuselage allows the loading of cargo through a rear ramp.
The new fuselage section is constructed as a single large component, including thevertical stabilizer. When attached to the existing nose section, the fuselage is 55 feet (16.8 m) long and 9 feet (2.74 m) diameter. The fuselage has upper and lower halves, each with a roughly-oval shape similar to a canoe. The halves are bonded to circular frames. The fuselage section ahead of the entrance door consists of the existing (metal) 328J component, with fasteners used to bring the forward and new aft sections together.
As of April 2008, the fuselage was being fabricated. The first flight of the modified aircraft was expected during the winter of 2008/2009.[3] However, due to a "glitch" during fabricating the composite fuselage, that schedule slipped.[4] The delay was caused by an unsatisfactory bond of the skin on the lower fuselage, which required a second fuselage to be fabricated.
The first flight was completed at Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs facility (Air Force Plant 42) in Palmdale, California on June 2, 2009 by the Air Force Research Laboratory in conjunction with Lockheed Martin.[5] In October 2009, the ACCA demonstrator was designatedX-55A by the USAF. Over the course of the program, 15 to 20 flights were expected. Furthermore, it was estimated that the vehicle was built for half the cost of a conventional design for a similar aircraft.[6][7]
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As of September 12, 2014, the X-55 aircraft is on display at theJoe Davies Heritage Airpark in Palmdale, California.[8]
Related development
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Media related toLockheed Martin X-55 at Wikimedia Commons