This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Application of Very Thick BLC Airfoils to a Flying Wing Type Transport Aircraft
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
This paper discusses the possible application of extremely thick airfoils with powered boundary layer control (BLC) to “flying wing” transport aircraft. The results of a brief conceptual design study of such an aircraft are summarized, and the bases for key performance estimates are discussed. The intention at the outset of this study was to explore in a tentative way whether expected severe aerodynamic penalties of the very thick airfoils and the BLC system (in terms of drag, power and critical Mach Number) might be offset by expected advantages (structural weight, payload volume and arrangement in addition to the usual advantages of the “flying wing” configuration). To the author's surprise, the expected penalties were found to be largely nonexistent, whereas the expected advantages appear to be very real and very significant. In view of the rather cursory nature of the study reported on, these results can hardly be considered to be conclusive. However, they would certainly justify a much more serious study than the present author is able to undertake.
Recommended Content
Authors
Topic
Citation
Chaplin, H., "Application of Very Thick BLC Airfoils to a Flying Wing Type Transport Aircraft," SAE Technical Paper 901992, 1990, https://doi.org/10.4271/901992.Also In
References
- “Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1987-88” London Jane's Publishing Company 1029
- Weber, David McCabe, Earl F. Jr. “An Experimental Investigation of a 50-Percent-Thick Airfoil Using Blowing for Boundary Layer Control” David Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center Technical Memorandum TM-16-85/02 July 1985
- Rogers, E.O. “Recent Progress in Performance Prediction of High Advance Ratio Circulation Controlled Rotors” Paper No. 29 of Sixth Europearotorcraft and Powered Lift Aircraft Forum Bristol, England 1619 Sep 1980
- Rogers Ernest 0. David Taylor Research Center Feb 1989
- Neumark, S. “Critical Mach Numbers for Thin Untapered Swept Wings at Zero Incidence” London Aeronautical Research Council Nov 1949
- Nicolai, Leland M. “Fundamentals of Air craft Design” School of Engineering, University of Dayton 1975
- Englar, R.J. “Two-Dimensional Subsonic Wind Tunnel Tests of a Cambered 30-Percent-Thick Circulation Control Airfoil Naval Ship Research and Development Center May 1972