Airplane Coatings Help Recoup Fuel Efficiency Lost To Bug Splatter

MTorrice writes: When bugs hit the wings of oncoming airplanes, they create a problem. Their blood, called hemolymph, sticks to an airplane's wings, disrupting the smooth airflow over them and reducing the aircraft's fuel efficiency. To fight the problem, NASA is working on developing a coating that could help aircraft repel bug remains during flight. After experimenting with almost 200 different formulations, researchers recently flight-tested a few promising candidates. Results showed that they could reduce the amount of stuck bug guts on the wings by up to 40%. With further optimization, NASA says such coatings could allow planes to use 5% less fuel.

Comments

Re:I'm skeptical of the 5% claim

[Falconhell]

It's not weight, it's maintaining laminar flow. It only takes very small objects to turbulate the boundary layer, increasing drag considerably.

Re:Deicing?

[occasional_dabbler]

It will make no difference at all. It's a very different issue.

The most sensitive part of a modern aircraft wing is just aft of the leading edge where the flow makes the transition from subsonic to transonic. Having even 'frosting' in this area can destroy all lift from a wing so they are liberally sprayed with gelatinous treatments that are specially formulated to melt any ice that forms from rain or snow while the aircraft is static, yet become sufficiently diluted during the take off to be washed of the wing for flight.

Once airborne, the problem becomes one of thermal balance and heat is supplied to the wing leading edges using engine bleed air.

The bugs don't affect icing and so far, no coating has been found that cna get rid of ice under all conditions mandated by the FAA.