Synergy Prime : The most advanced and efficient family aircraft

In this video we look at Synergy Prime, the most efficient and advanced 5 seater. With just a 200 hp engine, it can travel at 200 mph and consume just 40 miles per gallon.

[@dirckthedork-knight1201]

I love the wing design it sort of feels like a futuristic biplane in a way

[@tepidtuna7450]

I think the design is brilliant. I think many would too. The real issue is the commercialisation of it, and I wish the team well in doing so.

[@mentalcog2187]

The stability and fuel efficiency alone should have had this design in the air all over the country by now. Wow. Doesn't hurt that it looks futuristic either.

[@why6212]

Isn't that interesting? No shortage of "super efficient" and "revolutionary" ideas, no implementation. Gives the impression it's not as great an idea as the inventor thinks. These missing revolutionary designs have been optimized for only one metric, at the expense of other important things, like ability to manufacture easily.

[@mentalcog2187]

@@why6212 Yeah. Something isn't right. Moving to production could be the issue. That problem kept Elon Musk from rolling out his new battery for a couple of years and he almost dropped for a different design.

[@someguydino6770]

@@why6212 that planform is a death trap

[@williambunting803]

@@why6212 This is not a difficult plane to make. John’s main problem is that he is a bit of a perfectionist, and funding.

[@why6212]

@@williambunting803 sounds like excuses. I'd imagine he's short on funds because its expensive to make this wing... Because its difficult to make and therefore expensive. If it needs to be perfect, than thats also difficult to make.

[@darticulate8751]

Best looking aircraft in last 12 years ! I wish it well in the marker ! 🎉

[@CrossWindsPat]

Sometimes good ideas just dont stick. With the advancement in materials maybe this kind of advanced design is just affordable enough now to be viable. Certainly looks cool and shows lots of promise!

[@larryyoung67]

I have been following this design for a few years now. I am not an engineer of even close to it. But I Love it! I think it is where we should already be. I'd LOVE to be involved in it's development.

[@XBootlicker]

Give Jon a Call

[@myperspective5091]

I always loved this airplane. I always wanted to see a turbo prop or a jet version of this.

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

Jet version would be mental and so stable and supposedly increase thrust cause of Venturi effect cause of the box😅

[@nathanbanks2354]

I was really disappointed when I found out that John McGinnis was forced off his own project by other investors. Think he posted this on his facebook page. Still hope the design comes to market.

[@williambunting803]

I remember when John McGinnis was hopeful of competing in the flight efficiency challenge. We are still waiting. You missed a few features of his concept. As you said the upper flight surface receives down thrust from the airflow over the top of the wing. In this mode the upper wing is “surfing” in the airflow and recovering energy in the process. This is one of the primary drag reduction techniques. The second role of the upper foil is in landing where its lift becomes positive to effectively increase the wing area for landing ie it becomes the flaps. The other feature of the fuselage can only be appreciated if you look up the Goldschmeid Shape. The transition of the fuselage to a convex shape according to Goldschmeid induces a collapse of the air column und the right conditions and the collapse “squeezes” tail section of the fuselage (as per a banana) thereby recovering energy lost at the nose section high pressure point. I think McGinnis has made the nose a little too sharp as the function at this point is to apply energy to the air at the nose to push it out to reduce the form pressure of the forward fuselage to minimize the skin drag. This energy is mostly recovered in the tail section. John’s concept is indeed genius, but becoming ever less likely of becoming reality.

[@user-ev6ii7oe9p]

Could it achieve vertical take off and landing ???

[@steveperreira5850]

I really appreciate your comments. I’m an electrical engineer not an aeronautical engineer but I can tell that you know what you are talking about. Sooner or later we will start getting a lot of aircraft that are not only innovative but very efficient. FOr most of my lifetime general aviation has been in a funk, and it is disgraceful. Absolutely it is fun to Fly around in a little Cessna 152, what a blast, but dammit, that plane is older than me and I’m 64!!

[@timduncan8450]

Such a beautiful design!! Interference drag at the corners of the box increase that loss category by around 4x. Potentially a small price for all the advantages. John was aware of this and was working to minimize it when I visited his shop nearly ten years ago. Blue sky and God’s speed to this effort. Step changes are sorely needed in GA products.

[@Sohaib19874]

Glad to see you are putting videos again. Long may it continue

[@ElectricAviation]

That's the plan!

[@grantschlichting4631]

Awesome content as always!

[@davidhansson1030]

great video love the content, thanks for keeping us updated !

[@ElectricAviation]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@ottobruegman4694]

Thanks for the information. The synergy prime sounds great.

[@ElectricAviation]

It does!

[@ReleaseTheZacken23]

I'm pretty sure DBT Aero had a hostile takeover by one of the funders, and they kicked the original inventor out of the project. I'm not optimistic about the future of the aircraft, sadly.

[@yobrojoost9497]

It looks very cool and seems to fly very well!

[@kmaclean77]

Love your videos

[@ElectricAviation]

Thank you

[@MRTOMBO]

Anything that is more efficient is a good thing. Fascinating video, thanks.

[@ElectricAviation]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@garyeaker3729]

I need this. THIS looks like smart design.

[@royharkins7066]

Fascinating 😊

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

Interesting design and the Gabriellie phenomenon. Just a heads up if you havent seen it take a look at the Canadian logging truck company Edison motors that have developed their own hybrid electric logging truck and running a generator and smaller battery they have reduced fuel burn by 50% and increased power saved wt and reduced emissions. It can also work as a plug in PHEV. for sensitive areas ..

[@rjung_ch]

Thank you for this one, will be here for the second one as well. I have high hopes that this can be commercially done. Probably also in masses if it bites and gets a certification.

[@ElectricAviation]

I hope so too!

[@vazgeraldes]

Have you noticed that the vorticity graph synergy prime's scale is double of cesna (10:37 and 10:48). In deed it seems to be more efficient but a comparison with the same vorticity scale would better highlight the efficiency difference, otherwise you are not comparing apples to apples. Love the videos... congrats.

[@w8stral]

If you believe that then I have swamp land to sell you. This is pure fraud. Not to mention even at a single glance I see MASSIVE drag. At speeds this flies, would be better off with a sailplane wing by far.

[@andrewsices]

I am fascinated by the design of the Synergy Prime aircraft, and hope you follow up on this video with more. Can it be scaled up to carry many passengers?

[@r.guerreiro140]

Magnificent!

[@vurrath7716]

Yea interesting, some might doubt the commercial speed limitations, but you're after efficiency and as you said in the intro, short local flights with low cargo/passegers hence your comparisons with Cesnas. Nice one!

[@vurrath7716]

might require higher numbers of shorter landing strips, and re-designing airports / transport infrastructure, but a few local proof-of-concept examples might demo what could be done with it.

[@vurrath7716]

same with upgrades to traffic-control, and doubts over changes to either hardware for it, or staff/planning around higher numbers demands, but on the other hand, as more and more becomes automated, a lot of that is mitigated, isn't it? that might be the best counterargument?

[@1965wazza]

With such innovative laminar flow designs it is the sensitivity of boundary layer to small protuberances such as bugs and dirt that causes a significant increase in drag. Real world effects become a factor in these designs.

[@carltheyoda2155]

Very impressive aircraft! I'd love to hear more about it!

[@raydreamer7566]

I always enjoy learning from your videos. I am wanting too build a simple W.I.G. craft. I am in the Philippines now and so many possibilities for transport here with no Pilots license required.. Please keep your video's coming . Perhaps I can combine the best of all your videos to my project..

[@ElectricAviation]

Thank you so much. I have done a WIG aircraft video. They also rank high on the GvK diagram.

[@ElectricAviation]

All the best with your project

[@waltersaunders7699]

Fantastic. Great for those of us that live regionally

[@ElectricAviation]

Absolutely!

[@waltersaunders7699]

@@ElectricAviation I live in regional country Victoria, Australia. Towns with a population of 10k-15k are on average an hour's drive apart and each has airports. The major regional centres 30k-40k population, are 3 hours away and the city of millions four hours. We spend a lot of time driving on illkept roads torn up by trucks. If there was a regular hourly shuttle service operating between our towns and the larger regional centres, it would be booked out constantly

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

I think it is great 😮I love box wings so much because each surface is useful in aerodynamic control and strength and stability and now I just learned thrust through the Venturi effect 😅

[@whitneylake2107]

I would love to see an electric version in the next five years. Great episode. Thank you

[@ElectricAviation]

That would be cool!

[@jokers7890]

Yes, electric motors with hydrogen fuel cells.....this is the future of aviation and most transportation.

[@r.guerreiro140]

Indeed But it seems still room for a good diesel version as well

[@kimcosmos]

or electricity from ammonia, Lighter tanks

[@pauljames1682]

I agree

[@hstrinzel]

But if it's as expensive as it looks, the people who can afford it will not likely need to have low mileage costs. What IS the price? And yes, THIS IS A GREAT VIDEO, you explain so many things so well, I understand it for the first time.

[@SeanLumly]

It's been one and a half DECADES. This project isn't going ANYWHERE. It may be a good idea and design, but the leadership is unable to implement a single full-size aircraft. He should just license the plans.

[@michaelz6870]

Yeah they finally fired Mr McGinnis over improper expense reports! LoL I get the sense he was so toxic, they were looking for anything to get rid of him. But, there is a new leadership team in place, so hopefully with that clown gone, they'll finally get some traction.

[@dekutree64]

Only 4 more years until the patent expires and we can all have at it.

[@why6212]

Probably because the square wing is a nightmare to manufacture.

[@SeanLumly]

@@why6212 Likely, but man, it's been soo long, at least a full-sized prototype should have made some progress by now..

[@synergyaircraft9028]

Actually, it’s been many decades since the science emerged and almost a decade since various bad actors started interfering. John and his family were recently defrauded by the greedy person who took over in 2019.

[@j11994466s]

It would be interesting for Synergy Prime to start using MIT's torroidal propeller for even greater efficiency coupled with much lower noise.

[@silasmoser301]

Thank you.

[@ElectricAviation]

You're welcome!

[@jfslenes]

LOVE IT!

[@johnjohansing]

Yes, This is a very efficient design. Did you know that the tail top wing actually is turned upside-down in order to provide a opposite lift effect in the rear of the aircraft, which keeps the front of the plane level aswell as increases the front wings airflow path, which in turn increases the main wings lift effect. The only problem with this plane is its not for sale. I mean where can I buy one? Go on and try to buy one..

[@johnjohansing]

I wanta see one converted to a sea plane

[@freetrade8830]

Negative lift tailplane is very common eg Cessna 172 etc.

[@michaeldaltonsr8954]

I'm not a documented engineer, but a successful carpenter/innovative mind-set. I FEEL the vibe of this design, as well as agree w/test results, and follow the idea as far as I am prepared. It boggles my mind that this project hasn't gained solid footing. Also, I didn't catch, but is this a six-seater? That would be an impressive payload!! Thanx 4 vid!!

[@metricstormtrooper]

You forgot the most beautiful plane of all, the Transavia Airtruk, I used to watch them doing their flight tests at the Transavia airstrip in Seven Hills, Sydney, Australia in the early to mid sixties, they would because great plane to convert to electric as they had a huge freight capacity for such a tiny aircraft.

[@marcv2648]

True Australian beauty.

[@ElectricAviation]

Transavia Airtruk!!! :) I think it merits a video. What a design.

[@johnmarkgatti3324]

it has been a long wait , John has rather gone to ground , so if you could get him to give you updates for dispersal ,to the many watching his progress [ if it takes boeing et al 10 + years to develop a next gen , we can't complain at one family taking 20 years to make a very large leap ,but in an instant world it has been a test ] .it would be great . He must be close to first flight testing . I have to wonder if he could link up with Mike Patty, he could assist in expediting .Mike does development for USAF [ which makes me a bit nervous ,they can be very jealous customers ],has genuine love for sports aviation ,has built over 10 aircraft ,comes from a machine shop background ,runs on almost no sleep [ we would offer to have his babies ,but he has a stunning hopolophilic wife !! ,translation ,he's a living legend ,and his wife has many guns ]. Interesting ,Mike is currently working on a lights sports air park , the kind of site designed for John M to do his kind of development .

[@narniavoyager]

John M. No longer has anything to do with this aircraft. His business partner swindled him out of the company.

[@johnmarkgatti3324]

no way !? that is .. mind bending , can we set up a grand jury to investigate ,people have to learn you can't get away with that crap @@narniavoyager

[@johnbgibbs]

It's a good step forward, however lift that is generated is negated by requiring downforce on the epinage. Any lift generated will also produce induced drag. If you eliminate the need for tail downforce you will reduce the lift needed as well as the induced drag associated with the extra lift burden. The very best solution would be a tailless swept wing design with a lift distribution that has the tip vortices INBOARD of the tips, as in the Prandtl-D approach. This will also deliver proverse yaw, as the elevons will be operating within the updraft of the vortex, generating thrust as well as lift. Birds have no vertical fins. Albatrosses have virtually no tail at all. There is no substitute for span if you want to fly efficiently at speeds half that of airlines. That said, this approach is nicely compact, inherently stable and far more practical for hangar space, and a good improvement on what is available.

[@Walterwaltraud]

And now put centerline thrust on it or DEP, admittedly kiling some of its upsides, and it might be a pretty successful short range sparsely populated area commuter aircraft/ air taxi with a BRS. Now an economy of scales on it, and voilà, we have a giant leap for some regions of this planet.

[@shaunpavery-pn5jq]

I have been wanting to see this aircraft for years .if I was them I would have made winglets for airbus.its a game changer .✈️🛫🌍💙🕊️

[@adamconroy2146]

Why can't I see these seemingly perfectly designed aircraft in the sky already? It seems amazing and I hope it earns the notoriety and utility it deserves. Good luck, or you may not need any luck, if it is the freak design and has the performance specs you claim it has here, then no luck is required.

[@jurepecar9092]

Any RC model plans (or even better, kits) available for this design? Would love to try it out.

[@ubermenschen3636]

DOA. Pie in the sky. Cold fusion.

[@costrio]

The model flies as smoothly as a bird, IMO.

[@SgtJamesRay]

I know the smaller RC ver did!

[@MarkCasonrun]

THAT A COOL PLANE I LIKE IT 😊

[@ronrothrock7116]

I would be interested to learn about it's performance under turbulence. With the prop located behind such a large fuselage could sudden wind shear dramatically, or completely, take away incoming air to the prop? This disruption could theoretically remove power. I did like the idea of air intake across the trailing portion of the wing. That kind of idea could help existing airframes also.

[@CraigLandsberg-lk1ep]

I like your ideas, if you want to educate me more please do😅

[@vmpgsc]

Synergy was supposed to be an affordable way to build a high speed cross country experimental aircraft with innovative technology baked into the design. Now it's a DBT Aero project destined for certification and a $750k price tag. Eh.

[@navion1946]

There are drag efficiencies that are so complex to realize that they completely negate any cost efficiencies.

[@user-eh3ge9vo3o]

I do love the Boxwing Design since the Sunny , an ultralight plane. Jet the lack of real flight data is suspicious After all those years Klaus from Germany

[@europaeuropa3673]

The only advantage appears to be the weight saving from having the winglets supported by the negative lift rear wings.

[@ianisbell500]

Sweet

[@francisdebriey3609]

I want one !

[@Homoprimatesapiens]

Looks very efficient concerning lift, drag and propulsion as main factors. But how will it behave in strong cross winds and turbulence?

[@mikeg3810]

A great idea is one thing. But execution and marketing your product is another.

[@stickynorth]

I guess that crack on The Simpsons about "wacky old designs" being reevaluated is kinda true. Box-wing, Box-Tail and blended body-wing aircraft are more efficient and are the future of aviation. At least when it comes to the newest prototypes of General Aviation and military aircraft... Even Bombardier has its EcoJet program right now...

[@andrewsampson9952]

Ive been watching and waiting for this amazing aircraft for the last 7 years! and its still not hit the market! The original designer John McGinnis has left the program - since then no more new video's!

[@OnerousEthic]

It is so far ahead of its time, like the Citroën DS2. IMHO, it needs to be fully automated (no pilot), and launched and recovered by catapult/arresting equipment atop high rise buildings, starting with a single passenger model.

[@JamesMPogue]

Yes, it is the future. The newest design for the propeller I think will further maximize its efficiency.

[@santaclaus2883]

Are some the of issues of funding due to the complexity of moving turbulent flow from the wings to the engine? It reminds me of the NASA test program where they drilled micro holes into the wing and attached vacuum pumps, forcing the laminar flow to extend farther down the cord of the wing.

[@antonnym214]

It's shocking to think that a design this superior can't get funding. Until there is a full scale prototype, it's not an aircraft; it's a vaporwarecraft. All good wishes.

[@princeoftheblues]

It combines the football shape that is ideal for laminar flow with a wing designed to minimize vortices at the wingtips, because there are no wingtips. This concept is all over KZbin from the original drone props to those new motorboat props. This also opens up the possible resurgence of the biplane, whose weakness stemmed from having a greater number of vortex causing wingtips. Biplanes have a great structural advantage, especially if you tie the wings together at the ends, as this design must. Having shorter wings is another structural advantage. Possible seaplane candidate?

[@robertobruselas3952]

Great to put the latest science in this amazing airplane. Time to implement 3D printing technology to it.

[@ElectricAviation]

The full scale prototype was built with most parts 3D printed

[@Topgun12776]

I was following Synergy and John McGinnis for a long time, but like other innovations it seems to have fallen flat. I hope they can get new wind and make this happen at some point.

[@finsdotsurf]

Prandtl! The next generations of fin designs I explore will include these box-tail concepts.

[@robertedge6902]

Rutan, the father of the modern canard contributed much to current aircraft design. This aircraft is a great evolution along this line.

[@R.-.]

Does the Chinese Guizhou Soar Dragon drone utilize this efficient wing design?

[@iforce2d]

10:45 why doesn't the tail of the Synergy show in this result ??

[@ericholder2026]

I can hardly imagine why such projects are so often stalled, postponed or even canceled. I guess the masses don’t like change.....or something!

[@henrybrett113]

We are coming now inside of low energy use ,to change the aircraft to electrical motors. The design of the wings gives more possibility to place although pv panels. It looks we are with this aircarft 50 years in the future.

[@Embassy_of_Jupiter]

not sure this one will revolutionize aircraft, but probably something that looks similar

[@DKTek07]

Cool video but I want that 1/4 scale RC model. How can us RC people get access to the build of that model?

[@immobohm467]

Would be better with an electric powertrain. Should be possible to get good range if the efficiency is this good?

[@scientificperspective1604]

How much runway will a full-scale version require?

[@Sheldyck]

now imagine a toroidal prop on that

[@user-jq2rf4nf3o]

Jet fuel caries more BTU then the same amount of Av Gas. Your biplane is cute but the added wing area adds drag and a short coupled pitching moment that will be a hand full . Canards are a better pick, A helicopter is best under 300 miles point to point

[@jimrobcoyle]

Cool! An airplane that runs on Coal!

[@Lesservector]

0:56 A 747 fits the description as a thing of beauty?? Also I want to add something I have said before and will say it again. Shapes are more powerful than the majority of people realize.

[@ElectricAviation]

It is for me. Each time I look at it I pause

[@Aviator168]

This plane has been talked about for ages. Haven't seen a prototype.

[@eddiestevenson-kaatsch6306]

What are the non-linear design criteria that an increase in size has upon a full size two seater, and then, a full size multi-passenger aircraft ?

[@danbenson7587]

Reynolds’s number is primary. As the model scales up, the Reynolds’s number becomes more favorble

[@christophergagliano2051]

I'd like to see that thing and do some slow flight unusual attitude recovery, spins of course how does it fly slow when it turn Will the inside wing stall. It's pretty obvious it's short coupled like a pits stability at slow flight does not look like something that will be solved anytime soon.

[@nunyabidness3075]

Dream. Nothing but dream.

[@antibrevity]

Very happy to see this as I'd lost touch with John and the Synergy project for many years and was worried that it had been abandoned as I never saw the prototype being flown. I'm saddened to learn that John was forced out of the project, though this helps to explain why I stopped hearing about it. It must be very hard to lose your stake in a design that you invented and championed :(. John posted a series of articles about many of these subjects back on the old EAA forums in the 00's, but I'm not sure if they're still available. The wing design leverages many intersecting effects to achieve efficiency and this was well described in the video. I'll not attempt to add further detail as I might misremember them after so many years and don't want to provide misinformation.

[@JaguarKwikE]

I need one of these in a very major way but would prefer a 6 seat version to fly from CA to HI (non-stop of course) and carry more fuel for a solo flight. Is this airplane pressurized? These airplanes need to get FAA certified!! And beautiful beyond belief. What is the Cd, coefficient of drag?

[@ElectricAviation]

It is not pressurized. It makes sense to have a 6 seat version of it

[@a914freak]

Didn't mention anything about wing stall and at what speed that would happen at.

[@DennisMathias]

What is the predicted cost of construction?

[@Cedartreetechnologies]

Makes total sense to this old engineer and beginning pilot. I wants one. But golly, you need to get revenue. Failure to do so points to either bad management, or engineering gotchas, or both.

[@PankajDoharey]

Synergy Prime with a Rutan tandem wing design, would probably make stall free aswell.

[@JaguarKwikE]

And have the RED A03 for nocturnal and overseas long distance flights.

[@coledawson7398]

I want one

[@DejectedCat]

Box wing isn't new, but I absolutely want it to be more mainstream.

[@normanchodrick2630]

I am personally waiting for the battery-less electric planes (and cars and whatever, probably everything else) that will run off Tesla's design for taking electricity directly from the atmosphere that he used to drive his Pierce Arrow back in the 1931. He had it set up to put out 80 hp diesel/electric torque effect and took it up to 90 mph over a few hours driving-with witnesses.

[@mrdukeb1]

Were this project at to date ?

[@erkintek]

İ would connect those upper sections

[@laulaja-7186]

In all these examples of smart, beautiful design, the creators think they can just go charging the customer astronomical prices. But they can't, and that's why they are history. The only revolutions that will ever take off are ones that an be affordable enough for the public to participate in. Anything else will never be more than a "niche" market, even if they don't collapse immediately.

[@FeralRabbit]

Wish it would be sold as a kit.

[@BrianGochnauer]

I would expect slow speed handling (takeoff/landing) will/are very 'twitchy' and possibly dangerous. Because of it's short distance between the wing and control (elevator) surfaces. Probably why it is delayed; they are trying to fix these issues of slow speed control and stall characteristics and the VERY tight weight and balance envelope because of the short coupling.

[@gsestream]

tilt box wing flying vtol car, quad copter props for tail-sitter lift-off and landing, the tilt folding wings for storage land mode only. yes car and flight, and when the box wings are vertical, they tilt with two axles to the side of the car only. super simple. well shape the roof and car in the vertical direction in the way that it will not add too much drag, in the up flight direction. yes turn the box wings vertical, not horizontal. car travel is horizontal, air plane travel is vertical, the wings tilted locked away when in car mode. quad copter props/turbines produce all the thrust and direction control, possible flaps on the vertical box wings.

[@gsestream]

I made a 3d render animation model of the tail-sitter vtol car plane concept on my channel if interested.