Whatever happened to the Blended wing of Boeing?

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Photos by Boeing
Whatever Happened to the Blended Wing?
An innovative design would boost airplane fuel efficiency by some 23 percent. So why won't it be implemented?

1. Boeing's X-48B Blended Wing Project turns the aircraft into a giant wing.
2. The design would improve fuel efficiency by 23 percent.
3. Nevertheless, a blended-wing body is more likely to have military applications than commercial.
4. One major reason it's unlikely to be applied commercially is because of a lack of windows.
5. The blended-wing design doesn't allow for windows or for easy exit access.
6. Even though the blended-wing body is much more efficient than the typical cigar-and-stick design, no one wants to sit 50 feet from the nearest window.
7. In the near-future, eco-friendly design improvements will likely be less radical—planes may be retrofitted with lighter wing tips, for instance.