Bird feathers inspire new aerodynamics research

[scotthayd]

Researchers at Princeton experimented with placing transverse strips on top of wings. These strips behave like bird covert feathers and pop up in high lift situations. They dramatically improved control and slow speed lift. Article: https://techxplore.com/news/2024-10-bird-wings-approach-flight-safety.html

Time to get out the duct tape and some cheap plastic strips?

 

[Scott A]

Interesting indeed. Someone needs to test this out - and report back . If you keep them symmetrical on each wing what's the worse that can happen...

It will be crazy if something this simple really works out.

 

[Fishsticks]

Woah! How cool! The videos that they posted in the paper are pretty rad https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409268121#data-availability

Would be a bummer to have those on top of your wing and be tied down tail first...

 

[skywagon8a]

Woah! How cool! The videos that they posted in the paper are pretty rad https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2409268121#data-availability

Would be a bummer to have those on top of your wing and be tied down tail first...

Those videos and what the authors say are misleading. You can tape the top of the wing with yarns and see the same results. They are only visualizing what the actual airflow is doing. They don't appear to be effecting the airflow at all.

 

[Charlie Longley]

Those videos and what the authors say are misleading. You can tape the top of the wing with yarns and see the same results. They are only visualizing what the actual airflow is doing. They don't appear to be effecting the airflow at all.

I think your comparison is incorrect but I am not an aeronautical engineer. Also I did not stay at a Holiday Inn last night. My airline usually puts us in Hilton or Marriott properties.

 

[skywagon8a]

This is what I saw in the bird feather video without the feathers. If the feathers were helping to reduce the stall separation, the flow separation would have remained closer to the upper camber of the wing. The flow reversal is what raised the feathers.

 

[Charlie Longley]

This is what I saw in the bird feather video without the feathers. If the feathers were helping to reduce the stall separation, the flow separation would have remained closer to the upper camber of the wing. The flow reversal is what raised the feathers.

OK so how do you know feathers are not effecting the stall speed? They have imperial evidence that says they do. Is it just a gut feeling you have or do you have solid evidence?

 

[BC12D-4-85]

I don't know, but if a chord wise stall fence limits lateral non-laminar flow, then why not a lateral fence to limit forward flow? Seems like an easy project for a scale model aircraft. Try various %chord heights, placements, and angle of deflection....plus one wing with and one without stuff. Pretend it's 1924 and nobody knows it all yet.

Gary

 

[Charlie Longley]

A person could experiment with Mylar tapes like we use on gliders on a full size airplane. I could see a lot of practical issues with it though.

 

[skywagon8a]

OK so how do you know feathers are not effecting the stall speed? They have imperial evidence that says they do. Is it just a gut feeling you have or do you have solid evidence?

I'm going by what I see in the videos. There doesn't appear to be any difference in the flow. There are all sorts of little things which effect airflow and stall speeds. I've seen things as small as a paint stripe effect (raise and make more sharp) the stall speed. The existence of feathers could effect the speed depending on exactly where they are placed and their size. It could be better or worse.