Bee Aerospace

Faculty Advisors: Charles Hoke & John Mah

Industry Mentor: MMO Aviation

Summary: Bee Aerospace is developing a next-generation transonic truss-braced wing (TTBW) transport aircraft based on the Boeing 737 MAX-8 baseline to advance fuel efficiency, range, and sustainability in commercial aviation. The project’s objectives are to increase fuel efficiency by 30–50%, achieve higher cruise Mach numbers (0.80–0.90), and enhance safety, manufacturability, and operational capability, while maintaining a 170-passenger capacity and compatibility with existing airport infrastructure.  

The design features an innovative high-aspect-ratio wing reinforced by external trusses to reduce drag and improve aerodynamic performance across the transonic envelope. Bee Aerospace operates through four functional subteams: Aerodynamics, Flight Mechanics, Propulsion, and Internal Systems, which use MATLAB, OpenVSP, and ANSYS for modeling, mission analysis, and structural validation. These tools enable cross-disciplinary collaboration and iterative refinement of geometry, structure, and propulsion integration through focused trade studies. 

In the spring, Bee Aerospace will transition to three cross-functional teams: Flight Simulation, Prototype, and Integrated Test. These teams will develop and test a subscale flight demonstrator, build a ground control station, and create a real-time flight simulator to validate aerodynamic performance, structural integrity, and systems functionality; culminating in a demonstration of the aircraft’s overall design maturity and technical feasibility.