Date of Thesis

Spring 2026

Description

Aircraft use the ability to change the geometry of their wings to produce lift and drag as needed to maintain flight conditions. While the wings themselves are not physically changing shape, flaps and ailerons are used to alter the lift and drag coefficients experienced. Flaps have been used and changed over the years in order to produce better lift to drag ratios. The most commonly used flaps have been plain, slotted, and double slotted. Each type features slightly different mechanical structures, thus producing differing amounts of lift and drag. The introduction of new materials allow for a morphing flap to be designed. These morphing flaps use a continuous, smooth surface to remove any gaps or sharp geometry that adds unwanted drag. The idea is to morph the flaps to a desired shape, similarly to bird wings, rather than just rotating around a hinge.

This research seeks to assess the improved lift to drag ratio of morphing wings when compared to plain, slotted and double slotted flaps. Showing that a morphing aircraft is ideal for takeoff, cruise and descent demonstrates that nature provides us with a template for wing design that can significantly improve morphing aircraft. Modifying these morphing flaps after avian feather patterns can give insight into the optimal designs for producing the best lift to drag ratios for takeoff. Morphing flaps are able to create a more efficient aircraft by increasing L/D by 10.54% during takeoff, 7.85% during cruise, and 11.91% during the descent phase. Biomimicked “feathered” designs saw increases up to 33% during takeoff. These improvements also mean that aircraft can reduce the amount of fuel consumed by 7.3% per mile during cruise.

Keywords

morphing flaps, lift, drag, aircraft, biomimicry, feathers

Access Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Major

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Greg O'Neill

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