the frontiers of flight have been
extended
highly experimental designs for the
plains of the world
this plane is the latest of the x-series
an aircraft called the x-29 at first
glance the prime seems ordinary until
your perspective changes
bring back
beautiful
through the use of the x-29 is a test
vehicle engineers will be able to
explore the forward swept wings unique
mixture of speed agility and slow flying
qualities they will also explore the
interaction of the wings with the
forward canards and rear straight flaps
in this design all control surfaces are
linked together by computer
Walter sepak NASA's program manager for
the x-29 all three of these surfaces are
tied into a digital computer and their
deflection or movement during flight is
optimized by the flight control
computers when the pilot makes a stick
input to the airplane these three
surfaces all right react simultaneously
to give the optimal response of the
airplane to minimize drag and maximize
performance the forward swept wing
concept was first explored during World
War two when the Germans built a test
bomber with 15 degree forward swept
wings the bomber had a limitation which
is inherent to all forward swept wings
it is called structural divergence and
is illustrated here as soon as higher
speeds are realized the wingtips
experience tremendous
twisting loads which flex the wings and
can literally tear them off the x-29
swing is criss-crossed with 750
composite tapes of such material as
carbon Kevlar and glass the materials
are woven in a way to counteract the
twisting forces encountered by the wing
at transonic and subsonic speeds
is to prove the benefits of the
forward-swept wing to confirm the x-29
and when these goals are accomplished to
make sure the results are transferred to
government and industry what we learned
this program will help build the next
generation of fighter and commercial
ever
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