New Airfoil Sections for General Aviation Aircraft

A program has been undertaken to develop new airfoil sections suitable for general aviation aircraft, utilizing theoretical and experimental advanced technology developed in recent years primarily for subsonic jet transport and military aircraft. The airfoil development program is one component of the Advanced Technology Light Twin (ATLIT) program sponsored by NASA Langley Research Center. Two-dimensional tests of a new airfoil at NASA and Wichita State University have demonstrated high cruising performance over a fairly wide C₁ range, and a C_1max value of 3.69 with Fowler flap and no leading-edge devices. Experimental and theoretical development of additional configurations is under way.