Articulating airfoils, or folding wings, are nothing new to aviation. They’ve been used for decades as an efficiency tool to help store multiple airplanes in a small space. But NASA thinks a new airfoil known as the Spanwise Adaptive Wing (SAW) could fold an aircraft’s wings in flight, creating huge efficiencies but without the use of traditional heavy mechanical actuators.
NASA Looks at Folding Wings to Increase Efficiency
Key Takeaways:
- NASA is developing the Spanwise Adaptive Wing (SAW), a new airfoil concept that allows aircraft wings to fold in flight without the need for traditional heavy mechanical actuators.
- The in-flight folding capabilities of SAW aim to improve aircraft stability and yaw control, particularly for supersonic planes, by adjusting the wingtip's position while still providing lift when straightened.
- This technology builds on historical precedents like the XB-70 Valkyrie's flexible wingtips, with NASA planning scale model tests to validate the SAW concept.
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