Smart wing wind tunnel test results

The use of smart materials technologies can provide unique capabilities in improving aircraft aerodynamic performance. Northrop Grumman built and tested a 16% scale semi-span wind tunnel model of the F/A -18 E/F for the on-going DARPA/WL Smart Materials and Structures - Smart Wing Program. Aerodynamic performance gains to be validated included increase in the lift to drag ratio, increased pitching moment (C m ), increased rolling moment (C l ) and improved pressure distribution These performance gains were obtained using hingeless, contoured trailing edge control surfaces with embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) wires and spanwise wing twist via a SMA torque tube and are compared to a conventional wind tunnel model with hinged control surfaces. This paper presents an overview of the results from the first wind tunnel test performed at the NASA Langley's 16ft Transonic Dynamic Tunnel (TDT). Among the benefits demonstrated are 8-12% increase in rolling moment due to wing twist, a 10-15% increase in rolling moment due to contoured aileron, and approximately 8% increase in lift due to contoured flap, and improved pressure distribution due to trailing edge control surface contouring.