Morphing wing demonstrator! 👀
This “flexfoil” demonstrator by winglet specialist Aviation Partners Inc. and joint-venture partner FlexSys was displayed at the 2016 National Business Aviation Association show. The demo illustrates how the airfoil shape could change in flight to boost performance over a wide range of angles of attack, indicated airspeeds and Mach levels! 🤩
FlexFoil™ variable geometry control surfaces represent a major improvement over conventional aircraft flaps. By exploiting the natural elasticity of aviation-grade materials, the FlexFoil™ control surface changes the camber of a wing during flight by shape morphing rather than through the heavy and cumbersome mechanisms of conventional wing flap assemblies. Shape morphing performs the large controlled deformations (from -9° to + 40°) needed for landing and takeoff using a surface that is integral to the rest of the wing. FlexFoil also permits discrete span-wise twist of the compliant edge at high response rates (up to 30 degrees/sec.) to reduce induced drag and withstand external loads (air loads, inertial loads etc.), yet it is strong and stiff with very small distributed strains on the mechanical structures and control surfaces. 🕵🏻♀️
FlexSys variable geometry technology can be applied to both the trailing edge and leading edge control surfaces for rotorcraft to improve flow characteristics at high rates. The leading edge structure is made of Titanium and is capable of 10° LE droop once per rev. The trailing edge utilizes fiberglass for it's structure and is capable of up to 5 cycles per rev! 😎
#composites #composite #compósitos #compositematerials #materialsengineering #fibers #lightweight #reinforcedplastics
This “flexfoil” demonstrator by winglet specialist Aviation Partners Inc. and joint-venture partner FlexSys was displayed at the 2016 National Business Aviation Association show. The demo illustrates how the airfoil shape could change in flight to boost performance over a wide range of angles of attack, indicated airspeeds and Mach levels! 🤩
FlexFoil™ variable geometry control surfaces represent a major improvement over conventional aircraft flaps. By exploiting the natural elasticity of aviation-grade materials, the FlexFoil™ control surface changes the camber of a wing during flight by shape morphing rather than through the heavy and cumbersome mechanisms of conventional wing flap assemblies. Shape morphing performs the large controlled deformations (from -9° to + 40°) needed for landing and takeoff using a surface that is integral to the rest of the wing. FlexFoil also permits discrete span-wise twist of the compliant edge at high response rates (up to 30 degrees/sec.) to reduce induced drag and withstand external loads (air loads, inertial loads etc.), yet it is strong and stiff with very small distributed strains on the mechanical structures and control surfaces. 🕵🏻♀️
FlexSys variable geometry technology can be applied to both the trailing edge and leading edge control surfaces for rotorcraft to improve flow characteristics at high rates. The leading edge structure is made of Titanium and is capable of 10° LE droop once per rev. The trailing edge utilizes fiberglass for it's structure and is capable of up to 5 cycles per rev! 😎
#composites #composite #compósitos #compositematerials #materialsengineering #fibers #lightweight #reinforcedplastics
