NASA tested the new FlexFoil flaps on aircraft

NASA and the US Air Force Laboratory (AFRL) are currently testing the new FlexFoil flexible flaps system on a customized version of the Gulfstream III business jet engine. This technology promises to help aircraft operate more quietly and save fuel.

For all aircraft designs over the past decade, the wings are still very basic and the design has not changed much. Airplane wings play an important role in aerial flight operations such as take-off / landing, change direction, increase / decrease altitude, keep altitude at different speeds. In addition, aircraft wings are also components that affect factors such as performance, fuel, flight safety, etc.

The rear flaps of Airbus A320 slipped out and fell down to prepare to take off.

Back with FlexFoil, this is a new rear flap design. What is the back flap? If you often fly and sit near the wing, you will see a large wing system right after the trailing edge of the main lift wing. Flaps change the wing shape - an element that affects lift. For example, when the aircraft takes off / landing, the plane speed is low, but it is necessary to maintain the lift force so the wing must have the largest area to get the necessary lift, more specifically to ensure the right wing pressure higher than the top. So, if you look at the wing when taking off / landing, you will see that the flaps are often extended to the maximum and best down to increase their strength and reduce drag.

The rear flaps collapsed into the main lift wing.

The usual feature of the rear flaps is that it can be collapsed into the body and when moving, it will slide out to reveal gaps with the main lift wing. This not only reduces the efficiency of the wing but also makes the aircraft operate noisily due to the hissing sound of high-speed moving air.

The rear flaps are down to the fullest and the flaps on the back flap to reduce lift and increase drag when the plane lands.

So NASA launched the ERA (Environmentally Responsible Aviation) project to address noise and improve fuel efficiency for aircraft. FlexFoil is one of the research components of the project. The technology was developed by Ann Arbor from FlexSys in Michigan in partnership with NASA and AFRL under the ACTE project (Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edget).

Basically, FlexFoil will replace the rear flaps on the main lift wing and can change the flexible shape to create a seamless, curved wing surface. This allows FlexFoil to act as a conventional flap with many different adjustment positions while leaving no space on the wing surface. Thereby, the aircraft will operate more quietly during the take-off / landing process. In addition, FlexFoil's design is not only for new aircraft models but can also be used on existing aircraft models.

Test flights of the ACTE project will be carried out at NASA's Armstrong Aviation Research Center in Edwards, California. Making the test platform a Gulfstream III with a standard 5.7m aluminum flap is replaced with FlexFoil flaps made of composite materials. The goal of the program is to bring the new flaps design out of the test environment in wind tunnels and determine the ability to fly.The FlexFoil flap system will be fixed in various shapes, allowing engineers to collect aerodynamic efficiency data under actual flight conditions.

NASA said the research on FlexFoil will continue to be deployed on commercial applications and extend beyond the wing to more purpose. ACTE Project Manager - Thomas Rigney said: "The first test flight has been scheduled and we have approved many important elements of this new flaps design. We expect technology to help. Future aircraft are lighter, more efficient and quieter. In addition, potential technology will also save hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel costs each year. "