An F-111, with a variable-geometry wing, was the test aircraft and the basic supercritical research took place between 19. Air Force teamed with NASA for a joint program to test a SCW designed for highly maneuverable military aircraft. NASA's test program validating the SCW concept was conducted at the Dryden Flight Research Center from March 1971 to May 1973 and showed that the SCW installed on an F-8 Crusader test aircraft increased transonic efficiency by as much as 15%.īefore the program ended, the U.S. The SCW is flatter on the top, rounded on the bottom, and the upper trailing edge is accented with a downward curve to restore lift lost by flattening the upper surface.Īt speeds in the transonic range - just below and just above the speed of sound - the SCW delays the formation of the supersonic shock wave on the upper wing surface and reduces its strength, allowing the aircraft to fly faster with less effort. (NASA Photo E73-3468)Ĭalled the supercritical airfoil, the design has led to development of the supercritical wings (SCW) now used worldwide on business jets, airliners and transports, and numerous military aircraft.Ĭonventional wings are rounded on top and flat on the bottom. Supercritical wings add a graceful appearance to the modified NASA F-8 test aircraft. An airfoil considered unconventional when tested in the early 1970s by NASA at the Dryden Flight Research Center is now universally recognized by the aviation industry as a wing design that increases flying efficiency and helps lower fuel costs.
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