Project Title:

Full Chord Laminar Flow for GA Aircraft Wings with only a Limited

Analytical Services & Materials, Inc
107 Research Drive
Hampton, VA 23666

93-1 02.02 7324 

Full Chord Laminar Flow for GA Aircraft Wings with only a Limited
Suction Region

Abstract:

The perennial demand in the GA market for more speed can be met
without power increases by achieving extensive runs of laminar
flow. The use of full chord laminar flow can provide an eight
fold decrease in wing parasite drag and as much as a 35%
reduction in overall parasite drag for typical GA aircraft.
Laminarizing the wing surface of GA aircraft provides dramatic
drag reduction if 65% or more of the chord has been laminarized.
The use of suction limited only to a band within the aft pressure
recovery can stabilize the boundary layer of carefully designed
LFC airfoils and allow full chord laminar flow over the upper
surface including the flap region. The work team expertise has
been gained in a variety of state of the art laminar flow
research projects, as well as in the design of General Aviation
aircraft. The team's expertise has provided the NASA NLF(1)-0414F
that has demonstrated the lowest measured drag of any NLF
airfoil. The objective of the project is to design, as well as
develop, and build an airfoil and wing that can be conveniently
used on popular GA high performance aircraft. The ultimate goal
is to market the laminar flow wing as a series of FAA STCs for
re-winging a series of production GA aircraft.

The wing design proposed will find commercial applications in the
GA marketplace which has historically sought products that
provide an increase in cruising speed without requiring a change
in the powerplant.

Laminar Flow, boundary-layer, suction, wing, airfoil, aviation