Airfoils with Scalloped Leading Edges

Airfoils with Scalloped Leading Edges

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General Introduction

Science News Vol 166, No. 10. pp, 154-156, reported in September 4, 2004, that the front fins of certain whales have scalloped leading edges that provided the whale with less drag and more maneuverability than did smooth edges fins of the same size. If what holds in hydrodynamics also holds true for aerodynamics, then better wings should be in our future. This is something that you could test by modifying some bulsa gliders. Your variables would be the size and number of scallops along the leading edges of your wings, how back-swept you make your wings. Good results would be indicated by extended glide paths. Of course, your own inventive mind must figure out how to make all launchings reproducibly.

Further in the above article, it is mentioned that flexible fins are better than rigid ones IN WATER. Again, will the apply also to air?

Let's ponder what this means if it does apply to air. First, if a wing has too much lift, the plane will go out of control. Lift can be varied by wing area, shape of the wing, and how up-tilted the wing is from the fuselage. With a flexible wing, as lift increases, the wing bends upwards and "spills" some of the lift. Thus a flexible wing might be self-correcting if the pilot increases the lift by accelerating: the pilot accelerates and the wings curve upwards more and more. The wings could additionally be controlled so that with increased upward bending, they would be swept back more and more.

All of these properties might work together to allow the construction of very small airplanes.

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