Manufacturing innovative aircraft wings
The project EULOSAM (Design and manufacturing of baseline low-speed, low-sweep wind tunnel model) completed the manufacture of an aircraft large-scale half-model for testing in ONERA’s pressurised low-speed wind tunnel F1FM. An aircraft manufacturer provided an original fuselage model whose design was modified in such a way that it can be rebuilt to its original shape for future use in another wind tunnel. The model design was completed in a previous Clean Sky project. Successfully manufactured parts were a left-hand side modular wing, a set of wing-body fairings, and a simplified landing gear and its cavity. EULOSAM also made adaptations to the left-hand side cross-shaped tailplane. The wing is an innovative structure with low sweep, high aspect ratio and a laminar flow aerofoil in cruise conditions. Innovative high-lift devices include Krueger slats and flaps. Modular wing concepts include removable leading edges, spoilers and airbrakes, and ailerons. Because of the high aerodynamic loads in the pressurised wind tunnel, the wing box was replaced by a massive and solid steel billet. Hundreds of very long channels were drilled to install the tubes that conduct pressure at the wing surface to the scanivalve pressure sensor. To prevent premature boundary layer transition, a very smooth surface was designed, allowing only very small tolerances for gaps and steps between assembled parts of the model. EULOSAM significantly contributed to developing new concepts and technologies for greener and more fuel-efficient regional aircraft. Successful manufacturing of the wind tunnel model is a prerequisite for improving aircraft performance. Relevant developments will help the aerospace sector to meet the Advisory Council for Aviation Research and Innovation in Europe’s (ACARE) rigorous noise and emission targets for 2020.
