Airbus has flown flapping wing-tip scale demonstrator aircraft

Europe-based giant aerospace group Airbus announced on Thursday that it had successfully flown a remote-controlled scale-model aircraft (based on the Airbus A321 single-aisle airliner and designated AlbatrossOne) fitted with flapping wing-tips. This is the first time that any category of aircraft fitted with such wing-tips has been flown.

This technology is technically called a “semi-aeroelastic hinge” and could, the company said, revolutionise the design of aircraft wings. It is intended to reduce drag, reduce the overall weight of the wings, and counter the effects of wind gusts and turbulence.

“While hinged wing-tips are not new – military jets employ them to allow greater storage capacity in aircraft carriers – the Airbus demonstrator is the first aircraft to trial in-flight, freely-flapping wing-tips to relieve the effects of wind gust and turbulence,” reported Filton, UK-based Airbus engineer Tom Wilson. “We drew inspiration from nature – the albatross marine bird locks its wings at the shoulder for long-distance soaring but unlocks them when wind-gusts occur or manoeuvring is required.”