Variable-Camber Compliant Wing
- Magazine Article
- TBMG-32470
Sector:
Language:
- English
Topic:
In the early years of manned flight, wing warping was used for lateral control of an aircraft. This technique consisted of a system of pulleys and cables used to twist the trailing edges of the wings in opposite directions. Because most wing warping designs involved flexing of structural members, they were difficult to control, and the risk of structural failure was high. As aircraft further developed, wing warping was replaced by multiple, independent, rigid flight control surfaces — such as ailerons, leading edge slats, and flaps — and while this approach is still in use, it is not without problems.