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 a Spanwise Adaptive Wing (SAW) concept that enables aircraft wings to fold in flight without the need for traditional heavy mechanical actuators.
- This innovation aims to create significant efficiencies, enhance stability (particularly yaw control for supersonic aircraft), and allow for dynamic adjustment of lift by altering wingtip configuration during flight.
- While flexible wingtips have historical precedent (like the XB-70 Valkyrie), NASA's SAW re-explores this technology for broader in-flight adaptability, with scale model testing planned to validate the concept.
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