Variable camber wing
Encyclopedia
Variable camber wing is a design of aircraft
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...

 wing
Wing
A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...

 by Vincent Burnelli
Vincent Burnelli
Vincent Justus Burnelli was an American aeronautics engineer, instrumental in furthering the lifting body and flying wing concept.-Early life:...

 that changes the camber
Camber (aerodynamics)
Camber, in aeronautics and aeronautical engineering, is the asymmetry between the top and the bottom surfaces of an aerofoil. An aerofoil that is not cambered is called a symmetric aerofoil...

 of the airfoil
Airfoil
An airfoil or aerofoil is the shape of a wing or blade or sail as seen in cross-section....

 (1933), and varies the area and camber of the wing (1937).

A mechanism moves and rotates the leading and trailing edge
Trailing edge
The trailing edge of an aerodynamic surface such as a wing is its rear edge, where the airflow separated by the leading edge rejoins. Essential control surfaces are attached here to redirect the air flow and exert a controlling force by changing its momentum...

 to gain camber and wing area.
The wing was used in the Burnelli GX-3 aircraft, which first flew in 1929. The shaft to control the mechanism was controlled by a hand wheel while that running parallel to the rear spar was driven by a chain from the forward one. In order to minimize the movement of the center of pressure, the mechanism was designed in such a way that it provided higher movement in the leading edge than in the trailing edge. The various flaps
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...

 and slats
Leading edge slats
Slats are aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wings of fixed-wing aircraft which, when deployed, allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. A higher coefficient of lift is produced as a result of angle of attack and speed, so by deploying slats an aircraft can fly at slower...

 on the control surfaces of modern commercial airliners perform a similar function.

See also

  • Smooth camber change
  • Variable-sweep wing
  • Variable-incidence wing
    Variable-incidence wing
    A variable-incidence wing has an adjustable angle of incidence in order to reduce landing and take-off distances. It was patented in France on May 20, 1912 by Bulgarian inventor George Boginoff....

  • X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing
  • Adaptive Compliant Wing
    Adaptive Compliant Wing
    The Adaptive Compliant Wing is a wing design developed by FlexSys, Inc., which is flexible so that aspects of its shape can be changed in flight....

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