The RSRA/X-Wing Experiment - A Status Report

The X-Wing is a lifting surface with four blades geometrically arranged in an X shape that provides the capability for an aircraft to be configured in flight as a fixed wing or a rotary wing vehicle. This lifting device requires a compressed air source which provides air to the leading and trailing edges of each rotor blade as demanded by a flight control system. This controlled blowing utilizes the Coanda Effect to augment the lift on each of the blades such that either uniform lift or pitching or rolling moments can be generated. In 1983, NASA and DARPA embarked on a joint program to investigate the X-Wing concept with the goal of developing the critical technologies necessary to support the development of a prototype vehicle. The subject of this paper is to report the current status of that program.