Hybrid Laminar Fin Investigations

Abstract

In order to evaluate the HLFC concept which is seen as the most promising drag reduction technology for transport aircraft applications Airbus Industrie launched some years ago the "Laminar Fin Programme". The paper briefly describes the main phases of this programme, i.e. the theoretical evaluation, the experimental verification through adequate wind tunnel tests and the flight test demonstration with the A320 no. 1 as testbed. It will be shown that the initial phase conducted by ONERA allowed the A320 fin to be chosen as the support for further HLF investigations. The next phase was devoted to wind tunnel tests of a half scale model in the S1MA wind tunnel. Carried out by ONERA and DLR, these tests enabled the flight test demonstration to be launched by Airbus Industrie and the partners. The flight tests have then been performed by the Airbus partners under the leadership of Daimler Chrysler Aerospace Airbus in the frame of the 3E/LATEC programme. Important topics like surface and suction imperfections have also been addressed during the flight tests as part of the EC-programme HYLDA. The main outcome at that stage of the analysis is an unambiguous proof of concept.