Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program

NASA’s Aircraft Energy Efficiency programme pursued transport-aircraft fuel savings in response to the 1970s fuel crisis. Its work combined propulsion research with laminar-flow control, advanced aerodynamics, active flight controls and composite structures. A contemporary NASA technical report describes the programme as beginning in 1976 and explains how these approaches were intended to reduce drag and structural mass. The historical programme helped develop technologies for more efficient aircraft; its projected fuel savings should not be read as a measured fleet-wide result.

Identity

Aliases: Aircraft Energy EfficiencyACEENASA ACEE
Domains: aviation
Name: Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program
Status: completed
Types: researchdevelopment

Details

Description: NASA’s Aircraft Energy Efficiency programme pursued transport-aircraft fuel savings in response to the 1970s fuel crisis. Its work combined propulsion research with laminar-flow control, advanced aerodynamics, active flight controls and composite structures. A contemporary NASA technical report describes the programme as beginning in 1976 and explains how these approaches were intended to reduce drag and structural mass. The historical programme helped develop technologies for more efficient aircraft; its projected fuel savings should not be read as a measured fleet-wide result.
Leads
Participants: -

Assets & Meta

Creation Time: October 17, 2026 at 13:29:09 UTC
Updated Time: October 17, 2026 at 13:29:09 UTC

Other

Official Urls: https://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/the-apollo-of-aeronautics/https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19840046782