March 31, 2014

Image Caption: NASA's flexible-wing F/A-18 maneuvers through a test point during the second phase of the NASA/Air Force Active Aeroelastic Wing flight research project. Credit: NASA / Carla Thomas

Jim Banke, NASA

Sometimes the inspiration for innovative technological solutions comes from unexpected places.

Thats one of the key messages author Peter Merlin hopes readers will take away from reading NASAs newest book in its Aeronautics Book Series, A New Twist in Flight Research: The F-18 Active Aeroelastic Wing Project.

In this case the inspiration for the test project involving an F-18 with elastic wings came from no less than the worlds first airplane the 1903 Wright Flyer, which in turn saw its design based on observations of birds in flight dating back to the time of Leonardo da Vinci.

That first airplane didnt sport the same kind of control surfaces, such as flaps and ailerons, that todays airplanes rely on to steer through the air. Instead, just like birds, the Wright Flyer twisted its wings to change its direction in flight.

A century later, designers wondered if maybe the birds and the Wright brothers were on to something worth exploring with modern technology. The result was the F-18 Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) project

NASAs new 194-page book tells the story of that flight research project, which saw an F-18 supersonic fighter modified so its wings could be warped in flight to aid in steering. It made 96 flights in two phases between November 2002 and April 2005.

AAW technology is sort of a back to the future approach to aircraft design, Merlin said. It leverages structural flexibility and the strength of new lightweight composite materials for a net benefit with regard to aircraft maneuverability.

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NASA Book Reveals New Twist In Flight Research