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Morphing Plane Wings for Efficient Flights

Roland Piquepaille writes "Airplanes, whether manned or unmanned, need to travel at various speeds. For example, a surveillance plane needs to fly fast to reach its destination point. Then, it needs to reduce its speed to achieve its surveillance mission. But with its fixed wings, it doesn't offer the same level of efficiency during these two phases. That's why Penn State engineers have devised airplane wings that change shape like a bird and have scales like a fish. Right now, the team has only built a tabletop model. So it will be a long time before you catch a plane and watch the wings disappear by looking through the window. This overview contains more details and references, including a couple of images describing the work done so far."

6 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. I'll believe it when I see it... by avalys · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Right now, the team has only built a tabletop model.

    I've invented a device that will convert ordinary cat dander into light sweet crude. No, I haven't actually tried to run it yet, but I do have this cool tabletop model.

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  2. huh? by dj245 · · Score: 1, Offtopic
    So it will be a long time before you catch a plane and watch the wings disappear by looking through the window.

    What sort of voodu does one need to have to have to make things disappear just by looking at them? I hope no terrorists are on these flights and have notions of looking out the window. Soon the FAA will screen all passengers for passengers attempting to smuggle "eyes" onto the airplane.

    Those blind people have it good! Their planes always have lift.

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  3. from the dept. by Trogre · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Sounds like the /. editors are speechless!

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  4. Re:wtf? by whatamidoing · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    ha! I knew they would run out of deptartments someday

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  5. OT: Who is Roland Piquepaille? by GileadGreene · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Who is Roland Piquepaille? His submissions seem to show up here every other day (and always contain a pointer to his blog so he can collect some advertising eyeballs).

  6. See? by Paulrothrock · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    It's good that PSU is a party school, because it gets the idiot frat boy business majors out of the labs so we can do real research!

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