NASA has completed the initial test phase of a new morphing wing technology that the agency says could dramatically increase fuel efficiency, reduce airframe weight and decrease aircraft noise during takeoffs and landings.
The test phase included 22 flights with Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) flight control surfaces attached to a Gulfstream III jet at the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The flaps were flown at angles varying from -2 to 30 degrees. While the control surfaces were designed to morph in flight, the tests were conducted at fixed settings to collect incremental data and reduce risk, NASA said.
