For more than a century , Disney has dreamt up the most magical , fantastical aircraft and engaged our imaginations in ways that no one has before . How many of us have wished we could search for adventure beside Mr . Fredricksen and Russell in their balloon-powered flying house , dodge palace guards on Aladdin ’ s magic carpet , or pilot the Millennium Falcon with Han Solo and Chewbacca as they journeyed to fight in the Galactic Civil War ?
Now , thanks to a healthy dose of imagination and engineering know-how , one of the most innovative and creative aircraft designs has been brought to life .
This year , the Smithsonian ’ s National Air and Space Museum has welcomed a CV2 Cargo Air Vehicle ( CAV ) for public exhibition . It is the first remotely piloted large electrical vertical takeoff and landing aircraft ( eVTOL ) to be flown in the United States in a non-military capacity .
Boeing – the CAV ’ s manufacturer – partnered with Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development to mount X-wing “ body shells ” on two CAVs for the opening events of the Star Wars : Galaxy ’ s Edge attraction at Walt Disney World in Orlando , Florida .
“ For Boeing , the partnership with Disney was more than entertainment ,” said Steve Nordlund , former vice president and general manager for Boeing NeXt and current vice president and general manager of Air Dominance in Boeing Defense , Space & Security . “ It provided valuable insights for future commercial relationships . It also helped understanding the opportunities and challenges of applying advances in batteries , electric propulsion , and autonomous flight .”
Now , the X-wing will be on public display at the museum ’ s Steven F . Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly , Virginia .
24 LET ’ S GO AEROSPACE