Importance

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Abstract

Tailoring the contour and chord length of a variable camber leading edge flap for the tapered wing of an aircraft is aimed at improving the aircraft's low speed performance particularly for takeoff and landing. Each segment of a spanwise series of leading edge flap segments has a constant chord flexible panel and a spanwise tapered leading edge or bullnose member. By using different chord flexible panels in adjacent flap segments, together with a tapered bullnose, the effective chord length and contour of the variable camber leading edge flap can be varied smoothly in the spanwise direction without resorting to different flap linkage mechanisms at each spanwise station. Further, through the change in cross-sectional shape of the bullnose member along the semi-span of the wing, a change in the effective flap angle (angle-of-incidence of the flap-chord relative to the wing-chord plane) is also produced. For additional variation in the flap angle in a spanwise direction along the leading edge of the fixed wing section, a twist can be imparted to the constant chord flexible panel through a slight variation in the degree of angular rotation of common flap linkage mechanisms attached to each end of the flap segment; however, the greatest amount of change in flap angle is accomplished through the change in cross-sectional shape of the bullnose member and only a slight amount is due to the variation in the degrees of angular rotation of the linkage mechanism.

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