Physics of Flight and Aircraft Structures

PHYSICS OF FLIGHT AND AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES

WILLIAM BENEDICT

AMNT 270

PHYSISCS OF FLIGHT AND AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES

Aircraft engineering and design have taken massive strides since Kitty Hawk. At the heart of every aircraft is the wing. Wing design has evolved from simple shapes to smart wings that can change shape to meet the demands of their ever changing environment. Birds have been the best teachers in wing advancement. The more we studied them the more we learned about the nuances of flight control and aerodynamics. Fast forward to the 21st century. Researchers at NASA and the US Air Force have teamed up to design a shape changing aircraft flap that has the potential to reduce noise, improve aerodynamics and fuel efficiency of the aircraft. (NASA, 2014) By replacing conventional aluminum flaps with shape-changing assemblies that form a seamless bendable surface it is anticipated that this new technology will make future airplanes lighter and save aircraft operators millions of dollars in fuel costs. Another innovation is the use of a new type of shock control bumps. Called the adaptive control bump, these devices are used in transonic and supersonic wings to control turbulence and drag by changing the shape of shock waves on the wing surface via flexible skin and actuators underneath to create a dimple at the wave and altering the wave shape. (ICL,2014) Other research has shown that the use of electrical charging of flexible surfaces can be used to reduce drag on a wing by “distorting the trailing edge creating trailing–edge vibrations that reduce undulating interface between turbulence and the smooth outer flow”. (SSE, 2014) Coupled with the use of lighter and stronger materials, improved manufacturing techniques and computer assisted design future aircraft will look and fly more economically, higher, faster and safer than ever before.

References

NASA tests ‘revolutionary’ shapeshifting wings for nextgen aircraft 2014...