| NASA Center: |
Dryden Flight Research Center |
|---|
| Image # : |
EC96-43831-5 |
|---|
| Date : |
01/01/1996
|
|---|
|
Title
F-16XL Ship #2
Full Description
This in-flight view of NASA's two-seat F-16XL #2 research aircraft
clearly shows that the left and right wings are definitely not mirror
images of each other.
Nevertheless, pilots who have flown the highly modified aircraft at
NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Califronia, state that
the asymmetry created by modifications to its left wing for the
Supersonic Laminar Flow Control (SLFC) project was easily handled by
the F-16XL's flight controls, and that the plane handled well.
The unique aircraft flew 45 research missions over a 13-month period in
the SLFC program which ended November of 1996. The project demonstrated
that laminar or smooth airflow could be achieved over a major portion
of a wing at supersonic speeds by use of a suction system. The system
drew a small part of the boundary layer air through millions of tiny
laser-drilled holes in a titanium "glove" fitted to the upper left
wing. Data acquired during the program will be used to develop a design
code calibration database which could assist designers in reducing
aerodynamic drag of a proposed second-generation supersonic transport.
Keywords
F-16XL Ship 2 SLFC Supersonic Laminar Flow Control Dryden
Subject Category
Unique Aircraft,
Reference Numbers
- Center:
DFRC
- Center Number:
EC96-43831-5
- GRIN DataBase Number:
GPN-2000-000170
Source Information
- Creator/Photographer: NASA Jim Ross
- Original Source: DIGITAL
| Resolution | Format | Width
(Pixels) | Height
(Pixels) | Size
(KBytes) |
Thumbnail |
.jpg |
91 |
71 |
13 |
Small |
.jpg |
646 |
502 |
316 |
Medium |
.jpg |
1515 |
1177 |
2,153 |
Large |
.jpg |
3030 |
2354 |
10,552 |
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Updated October 31, 2002
• History Questions: NASA History Office
• Responsible NASA Official: Steve Garber
• Author: Michael Hahn. Editor: Dwayne A. Day
• Curator & Technical Questions: Erin Needham
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