8 replies
December 2022

Arthur_Foyt

Wing warping?

1 reply
December 2022 ▶ Arthur_Foyt

500ks

Turns out, they were Wright.

1 reply
December 2022 ▶ 500ks

Jim_Kabrajee

That deserves two thumbs up.

December 2022

jonathan.shirer

Seems like we are leading to full AI control. Theoretically safer and more efficient. But, I’m too old to care.

December 2022

jhsandvig

Those interesting in learning more about continuous camber morphing wings may wish to read about the USAF AFTI F-111 Mission Adaptive Wing program which flew between 1983 and 1988 (approx).
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics–Boeing_AFTI/F-111A_Aardvark
and: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/88274main_H-1855.pdf

1 reply
December 2022

pilotmww

It’s seems like every time someone comes up with a “new” wing configuration, we end up with the same basic principle that the Wright bros. came up with over 100 years ago. Wilbur and Orville look more and more like geniuses now, just like they were then. As much as current engineers try, there is no changing the basic laws of aerodynamics that the Wright’s worked with/discovered.

December 2022

ag4n6

Maybe it is time to use some of the stability control computer capacity used in the Spirit and other advanced technology if it is available to industry in developing variable wing functions.

December 2022 ▶ jhsandvig

Jason_Bowman

This is different. The AFTI F-111 used what I would call traditional mechanisms and actuators. This technology may use traditional actuators, but it uses something called compliant mechanisms. These mechanisms give you more control over the shape among other things.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compliant_mechanism