Please let me remind all of you--this material is copyrighted. Though partially funded by NASA, it is still a private site. Therefore, before using our materials in any form, electronic or otherwise, you need to ask permission.
There are two ways to browse the site: (1) use the search button above to find specific materials using keywords; or,
(2) go to specific headings like history, principles or careers at specific levels above and click on the button. 
Teachers may go directly to the Teachers' Guide from the For Teachers button above or site browse as in (1) and  (2).

Variable Geometry Wing

This idea provides a new solution to the classic dilemma of aircraft design--big wings won't go fast and little ones won't go slow.  Current solutions provide moveable wing systems that alter wing shape, not area.  This invention goes a step further. Two fabric airfoils are rolled on a drum and driven in and out on tracks that run from fuselage to wingtip. This tensile skin is designed to maximize lift at low speeds.  A low drag fixed wing is designed for high speeds, minimizing power requirements at cruise.   At take off, the skin is fully deployed to maximize lift, and at cruise it is fully retracted, leaving the fixed wing clean and drag free.

The invention finds greatest utility at noise sensitive, real estate limited inner-city airports. The increased lift of the airfoil will allow lower take-off and climb speeds, reducing runway requirements, and will facilitate steeper climbs and descents. Altitude to distance downrange could be increased by 50% and the aircraft may use 40% less runway.

Weight and balance concerns are routine design challenges. State of the art sail design addresses the airfoil shaping of tensile skins. Kevlar, carbon fiber, and other very high strength-to-weight materials are available. The drives and hardware are common. And finally, the fixed wing is simpler to build than current designs, and in conjunction with dynamic airfoils, lighter for a given area.

 For further information:
Fred Wagner, Inventor
510/769-6768 phone
510/539-6563 pager

Permission was granted to ALLSTAR to use the preceding materials. 

Send all comments to allstar@fiu.edu
© 1995-2008 ALLSTAR Network. All rights reserved worldwide.

Funded in part by

Updated: March 12, 2004