Cessna Citation X Wind Tunnel Testing

During the development of the Cessna Citation X business jet, this wind tunnel model was fabricated and tested to evaluate flutter in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics wind tunnel. At the time of the Citation X’s launch, it was the fastest civil aircraft manufactured, reaching a maximum cruise speed of 0.92 Mach, or 92% of the speed of sound.

cessna_sitation_wind-tunnel
The McDonnell XP-67 “Moonbat” Represented Ambition Outpacing Engineering
July 29, 2026

The McDonnell XP-67 “Moonbat” Represented Ambition Outpacing Engineering

The McDonnell XP-67 “Moonbat” combined cutting-edge technologies, including a blended-wing body and Continental XL-1430 engines, in pursuit of 472 mph performance. Engine overheating and aerodynamic instability ended the ambitious program before it could reach production.
Grob G600
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From Business Jet to Spy Plane: How a Civilian Jet Design Nearly Became a Military Surveillance Platform

Grob’s G600 concept would have converted a business jet into a 65,000-foot spy plane with 33 hours of endurance.
Northrop HL-10 Lifting Body Aircraft
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Northrop HL-10 Lifting Body Aircraft

To help study the science of spacecraft reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, NASA flew and evaluated various lifting-body aircraft.