The long-sought elusive goal of practical, seamless control surface technologies to reduce drag and improve aircraft fuel efficiency -- chased by the defense and commercial aviation industries and researchers for several decades -- has finally been realized with the introduction of a variable geometry airfoil, called FlexFoil TM, by FlexSys, Inc., of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The FlexFoil variable geometry surface completely replaces jointed wing flaps with a deformable, seamless surface that changes shape for optimized performance throughout the flight regime saving jet fuel. Changing the shape of a modern aircraft's wing in flight has been an elusive goal. Unlike the earlier iterations, which suffered from complexities with the actuators and problems of heavyweight componentry, the FlexFoil variable geometry design employed a new approach, called distributed compliance, to achieve practical variable geometry wings - lightweight, reliable and cost effective. In retrofit applications, the FlexFoil technology can cut fuel consumption by 4 - 8% and that number can grow to 12% or more in clean-sheet builds. Other benefits of the technology include significant noise reduction (up to 40% during landing) and lowered maintenance costs due to reduced wing loads. Replacing trailing edge flaps of a Gulfstream Business jet with 14-foot span sections of our FlexFoil variable geometry control surfaces along with 24-inch transition sections at each end, NASA, in partnership with Air Force Research Labs, has scheduled several flight tests in July 2014 at Dryden Flight Research Center. Leveraging its pioneering compliant systems design methodology, FlexSys developed lightweight, reliable and cost-effective seamless shape-adaptive control surfaces - FlexFoil Variable Geometry Control Surface technology. Using conventional materials and actuators, FlexFoil, which has no moving parts in the shape-adapting mechanism, is being successfully applied to demonstrate large camber changes (-9 to +40 degrees), span-wise twist and high response rates (50 degrees/sec). FlexFoil variable geometry design greatly exceeds the cycle life required of commercial aircraft flaps and it can be applied to other control surfaces such as leading edge, engine inlets, vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Any object moving relative to a fluid medium, such as helicopters, wind turbine blades, sailboats, automobiles, and pumps, could benefit (performance improvement) from FlexFoil variable geometry technology by FlexSys.

• published: 11 Jan 2014
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