Saab aids new CS2 wing
An aircraft wing component developed by Saab is set for delivery.
The Swedish defence and security firm was tasked with producing an advanced natural laminar flow wing that reduces fuel consumption whilst having a positive impact on the environment as part of the Clean Sky 2 project.
A team of engineers and aerodynamics experts developed a new way to design and manufacture aircraft wings in carbon fibre reinforced composites. Unlike a standard wing, the panel is completely smooth with no joints or rivets; everything is cured in a single piece, with a surface that is completely smooth and glossy.
The attachment points that fix the panel to the wing box are all made of composite materials and integrated into the underside of the wing shell. The completely smooth outer surface and wing leading edge reduces drag, thus facilitating natural laminar airflow over the wing.
Dan Jangblad, head of industrial products and services at Saab, said: “A great deal of effort has gone into improving the wing’s aerodynamic properties in order to maintain the laminar flow and ensure less drag and reduced fuel consumption. We have also been able to reduce weight and cost by using the latest knowledge in composite design and manufacturing.”
Saab developed and manufactured an integrated wing leading edge and upper wing cover as part of the port wing of the ‘Breakthrough Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator in Europe’, or BLADE, flight demonstrator. The ‘Smart Fixed Wing Aircraft’ (SFWA) project is the second largest subproject within Europe’s Clean Sky 1 environmental research programme for aviation. Saab has participated in the venture since 2008, which it jointly leads with Airbus.
The development by Saab will soon travel to Spain for the assembly phase of the laminar wing, which will be eventually installed by Airbus on its A340-300 MSN001 flight test aircraft.
