Wed, Jul 23, 2003
F/A-18 Uses Wright (Not Curtiss) Technology
Let's start the war again: did the
Wrights, or Glenn Curtiss, invent truly 'controllable' flight? So
far, engineers favor the aileron system invented by Glenn Curtiss;
but the courts, and the historians, naturally attributed powered,
heavier-than-air controlled flight to the Wrights.
At any rate, the concept of 'wing-warping' is back, and it's
high-tech. Now, it's called "Active Aeroelastic Wing" technology.
NASA's Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) F/A-18A Hornet, the first
aircraft to bear the official "Centennial of Flight" logo, will be
on display at the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture
2003 air show at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.
The highly-instrumented NASA research aircraft will be displayed
at AeroShell Square adjacent to the "Countdown to Kittyhawk"
pavilion at AirVenture from July 29 through August 4.
The modified AAW F/A-18A jet fighter is currently in a flight
research program to investigate active control of flexible wings
for enhanced maneuverability at NASA's Dryden Flight Research
Center at Edwards Air Force Base (CA). A joint program of the Air
Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), NASA Dryden and Boeing Phantom
Works, AAW seeks to demonstrate improved aircraft roll control
through aerodynamically induced wing twist on a full-scale manned
supersonic aircraft-essentially a 21st century, high-tech update of
the primitive wing-warping control system devised by the Wright
brothers for their 1903 Wright Flyer. Among other benefits, the
concept could allow lighter-weight wings for better maneuverability
for future high-performance military aircraft.
Several NASA personnel will be on hand at the EAA AirVenture
venue to discuss the program with news media. Among those available
for media interviews will be NASA AAW Dryden project managers Larry
Myers and Denis Bessette, chief engineer David Voracek, and project
pilots Dana Purifoy and Richard Ewers.
More News
Terminal Radar Service Area Airspace surrounding designated airports wherein ATC provides radar vectoring, sequencing, and separation on a full-time basis for all IFR and participa>[...]
Very High Frequency (VHF) The frequency band between 30 and 300 MHz. Portions of this band, 108 to 118 MHz, are used for certain NAVAIDs; 118 to 136 MHz are used for civil air/grou>[...]
“From approximately November 2021 through January 2022, Britton-Harr, acting on behalf of AeroVanti, entered into lease-purchase agreements for five Piaggio-manufactured airc>[...]
Also: Virtual FLRAA Prototype, IFR-Capable Autonomous A/C, NS-32 Crew, Golden Dome Missile Defense Bombardier announced that the first production Global 8000 successfully completed>[...]
Aero Linx: The 1-26 Association (Schweizer) The Association’s goal is to foster the helpfulness, the camaraderie, and the opportunity for head-to-head competition that is fou>[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.29.25): Terminal Radar Service Area
See All