World's fastest supercomputer helps design high-speed VTOL plane

XTI Aerospace is accelerating the development of its TriFan 600 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft by leveraging the computational power of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Frontier supercomputer, previously the world’s fastest. Using over 1,500 complex computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations on Frontier, XTI engineers have refined the aircraft’s aerodynamic design, enabling more efficient and precise modeling across various flight scenarios. The TriFan 600 is designed to carry six passengers at speeds up to 345 mph (555 km/h), cruise at 25,000 feet, and reduce emissions by 80% through the use of sustainable aviation fuels. The next development stages include wind tunnel testing and FAA certification. The Frontier supercomputer’s exascale-class performance—capable of over a quintillion calculations per second—has provided XTI a critical advantage by compressing engineering timelines and reducing design risks. In addition to aerodynamic improvements, XTI recently enhanced the TriFan 600’s fuel system