Imagine an aircraft that can whisk you and your family hundreds of miles away—fast, stylish, and remarkably economical. Now imagine that aircraft using ten times less fuel than the average small jet and costing ten times less to operate. That’s the promise of Synergy Prime, a breakthrough design from Montana-based aerospace engineer John McGinnis.
Often compared to the futuristic Celera 500L, Synergy Prime takes things even further. It blends (“synergizes”) aerodynamic drag reduction with advanced propulsive efficiency, making it one of the most significant practical fuel economy breakthroughs in aviation history.
In a world where regional transportation is slow, inefficient, and expensive, Synergy Prime aims to change the game.
The Regional Transport Problem
Traveling 100 to 1,000 miles should be quick and straightforward. Instead, thanks to our current transport infrastructure, it can often take longer to reach a city 300 miles away than to fly across the continent. The issue isn’t just airports—it’s aircraft efficiency.
Studies like the little-known Gabrielli–Von Kármán (GVK) limit show that between 100–300 mph, current vehicles perform especially poorly compared to their theoretical maximum efficiency. While airliners and high-speed trains approach efficiency limits at their operating speeds, small general aviation aircraft—like the Cessna 172—fall far short.
For example:
- Cessna 172: ~7.5 km per liter (at ~125 mph)
- Modern airliner: ~42 km per liter (at ~500 mph, using less refined fuel)
This gap represents the largest opportunity for improvement in all of aviation.
A Radical Solution
McGinnis set out to fix this inefficiency. Inspired by legendary designer Burt Rutan—whose Voyager, GlobalFlyer, and Long-EZ aircraft demonstrated extreme range and efficiency—he rejected the decades-old general aviation “template” and designed from scratch.
The result is not a box-wing aircraft, as it might appear, but a double box tail design. This configuration supports long wingtip surfaces (functioning like oversized winglets) without the structural penalties normally associated with them, boosting aerodynamic efficiency.
Key Specs:
- Empty weight: 748 kg (1,650 lb)
- Gross weight: 1,406 kg (3,100 lb)
- Wingspan: 9.8 m (32 ft)
- Tail span: 4.0 m (13 ft)
- Wing area: 14.5 m² (156 sq ft)
- Tail area: 4.0 m² (44 sq ft)
- Cruise speed: ~200 mph at ~40 mpg
The Aerodynamic “Secret Sauce”
Synergy Prime’s efficiency is rooted in six advanced technologies:
- Laminar Flow – Not just on wings, but the fuselage, which typically contributes half an aircraft’s drag.
- Wake-Immersed Propulsion – Placing the pusher propeller behind the laminar flow transition point for cleaner thrust.
- Pressure Thrust – Harnessing the collapse of displaced air behind the aircraft to generate additional forward force.
- Non-Planar Span Efficiency – Achieved via the double box tail, reducing induced drag beyond conventional winglets.
- Open Thermodynamics – Using engine heat and airflow to influence aerodynamics.
- Optimum Volumetric Displacement – Shaping the aircraft to gently part the air for minimal disturbance.
Notably, the inverted aerofoils in the tail provide 8% downforce of the aircraft’s gross weight—precisely the value needed for optimal closed-wing lift distribution. This also flips a common aerodynamic challenge: instead of adverse yaw, Synergy experiences proverse yaw, improving stability in turns.
Engineering Ingenuity
Synergy’s laminar fuselage resembles a revolved aerofoil, naturally reducing drag. The pusher configuration not only benefits laminar flow but can reduce drag by ~20% compared to tractor setups.
A clever airflow system also channels boundary-layer air from the wings to cool the engine, then releases the heated air under the propeller. This exhaust-augmented airstream provides cooling and thrust simultaneously—a potential game-changer for efficiency.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tests show Synergy’s wake footprint is dramatically smaller than that of conventional GA aircraft like the Cessna 172—clear evidence of reduced drag.
A Long Road to Reality
Development began in the mid-2000s, with the first quarter-scale model flying in 2007. Synergy Prime won the 2013 Popular Science Innovation Award and has since been tested by DBT Aero.
Despite widespread admiration—and even fan-made RC models proving its stability and efficiency—the project has faced funding delays. Some enthusiasts have grown impatient, but McGinnis remains committed to perfecting the design before public release.
Why It Matters
A 1% drag reduction on a large aircraft like an Airbus A340 saves over 106,000 liters of fuel annually per plane. For smaller aircraft, the savings can be proportionally transformative—making regional air travel not only faster but greener and more affordable.
Synergy Prime could do for point-to-point air travel what the jet age did for intercontinental flights—only this time, with sustainability in mind.
Final Thoughts
Synergy Prime isn’t just another light aircraft—it’s a bold rethink of what an airplane can be. By combining proven aerodynamic concepts in new ways, McGinnis has crafted a machine that could dramatically improve fuel economy, cut travel times, and open up a new golden age of regional aviation.
The only question now is: will it get the backing it needs to take flight?