Dassault Aviation Evaluates Laminar Designs in Flight | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.01.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.16.24

Airborne-FlightTraining-04.17.24 Airborne-Unlimited-04.11.24

Airborne-Unlimited-04.12.24

Join Us At 0900ET, Friday, 4/10, for the LIVE Morning Brief.
Watch It LIVE at
www.airborne-live.net

Thu, Jan 27, 2011

Dassault Aviation Evaluates Laminar Designs in Flight

Part Of Europe’s Clean Sky Research Program

Dassault Aviation recently performed a successful flight test to evaluate potential applications of a laminar wing for large business jets. The flight was performed with a Falcon 7X at Dassault’s Flight Test Center in Istres, France. The tests are part of the "Smart Fixed Wing Aircraft", one of the Integrated Technology Demonstrators of the European Clean Sky Initiative. Clean Sky, one of Europe’s largest research initiatives ever, aims to develop technologies for cleaner and quieter next-generation aircraft which will enter service beyond 2020.

The flight evaluated a new infrared (IR) camera technology, developed by FLIR, which is capable of measuring temperature gradients in high altitude/low temperature and pressure environment. The camera measured differences in surface temperatures between laminar and turbulent areas of the horizontal tail plane on the Falcon 7X. While the Falcon 7X is not based on a laminar design, at high altitudes a laminarity of up to 40% was predicted on the upper surface of the horizontal tail. Measurements from the IR camera placed at the top of the vertical tail were performed to provide experimental validation.

”The results, which are still under analysis by Dassault Aviation and ONERA, (the French national aerospace research center) do show laminar extensions as expected,” said Philippe Rostand, Future Falcon Programs Project Manager. “The tests also permitted us to qualify new measurements techniques and equipment that will be used in future test flights to be flown by Dassault, Airbus and the other European partners on an even larger scale, such as the ‘smart laminar wing’ that will be flight tested in 2014 on a modified Airbus A340-300 test aircraft.”

Among other aerodynamic innovations, a laminar wing offers the largest potential for a dramatic decrease in drag. Laminar wings are currently only used on sail planes and small business jets. Initial studies indicate a potential 5-10% drag decrease and corresponding reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions with a laminar wing design on a large aircraft. Demonstrations and analysis on a larger scale have yet to be performed to confirm possible  efficient and safe application on larger aircraft.

Dassault Aviation previously performed a series of successful test flights with an experimental laminar airfoil from 1986-1989 on a modified Falcon 50. “Today, better measurement tools and production methods are in place to implement what we’ve learned so that we can someday bring these exciting findings into reality,” said Rostand.

FMI: www.cleansky.eu, www.falconjet.com

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.15.24)

Aero Linx: International Flying Farmers IFF is a not-for-profit organization started in 1944 by farmers who were also private pilots. We have members all across the United States a>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: 'No Other Options' -- The Israeli Air Force's Danny Shapira

From 2017 (YouTube Version): Remembrances Of An Israeli Air Force Test Pilot Early in 2016, ANN contributor Maxine Scheer traveled to Israel, where she had the opportunity to sit d>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (04.15.24)

"We renegotiated what our debt restructuring is on a lot of our debts, mostly with the family. Those debts are going to be converted into equity..." Source: Excerpts from a short v>[...]

Airborne 04.16.24: RV Update, Affordable Flying Expo, Diamond Lil

Also: B-29 Superfortress Reunion, FAA Wants Controllers, Spirit Airlines Pulls Back, Gogo Galileo Van's Aircraft posted a short video recapping the goings-on around their reorganiz>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (04.16.24): Chart Supplement US

Chart Supplement US A flight information publication designed for use with appropriate IFR or VFR charts which contains data on all airports, seaplane bases, and heliports open to >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC