Shape of things to comeAdding bellyflaps to blended-wing aircraft increase their manoeuvrability
Blended-wing aircraft generate less drag, are quieter, and use far less fuel; they are also less maneuverable because the aerodynamic surfaces that control an aircraft’s pitch are located closer to the aircraft’s center of gravity than those on a conventional aircraft; the solution, adding bellyflaps
Blended-wing aircraft — streamlined planes with a fuselage blended together with the wings to form one whole — offer significant advantages over conventional planes. They generate less drag, are quieter, and use far less fuel. These benefits come at a cost, as blended wing aircraft are also much less maneuverable. In particular, the slow rate at which their nose can pitch up or down makes it hard for a pilot to change altitude quickly. You may recall from Aerodynamics 101 that the problem lies with the aerodynamic surfaces that control an aircraft’s pitch, which are closer to the aircraft’s center of gravity than those on a conventional aircraft. As a result, the aerodynamic forces generated by these surfaces produce less of a turning force when the plane is maneuvered.
Ron Blackwelder, an aerospace engineer at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, suggests adding extra control surfaces, or “bellyflaps,” to the underside of the aircraft. These flaps work in conjunction with other aerodynamics surfaces to increase the rate of pitch. This should make the aircraft easier to handle, which could be important for maneuvering it in an emergency.
-read the full aerodynamic bellyflaps WIPO patent application
