Image right: The Active Aeroelastic Wing F-18A lifts off on its first checkout to investigate the potential of aerodynamically twisting flexible wings to improve maneuverability of high-performance aircraft at transonic and supersonic speeds.

A series of more than 80 test flights set to take place over the next several years begins for NASA's Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) project. The flights are testing a theory that warping an aircraft's wings to improve turning ability can work. The idea actually dates back to the Wright brothers, who used cables attached to the wingtips of their 1903 flyer to twist the wing and turn the airplane. These modern-era flights use a modified F/A-18A fitted with flexible wings. If the concept is proven by the end of the test flights, results may help develop faster, more capable military aircraft.

AAW Team
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, NASA Langley Research Center, The Boeing Company, U.S. Air Force Research Lab