Variable Sweep - Application to the Supersonic Transport

The fundamental aerodynamic benefits of variable sweep are shown to have a strong influence on supersonic transport design. Improved operational characteristics, such as shorter take-off and landings, lower take-off and approach noise, and lower take-off and landing speeds are achieved when compared to the present subsonic jets. A smaller gross weight airplane with smaller engines for a given payload range mission is the result of superior aerodynamic performance when compared to a low aspect ratio fixed geometry approach. The economics of the variable sweep SST are shown to compare favorably with present subsonic jets.