AFLONEXT · "2nd Generation Active Wing“ – Active Flow- Loads & Noise control on next generation wing""

AFLoNext is a four year EC L2 project with the objective of proving and maturing highly promising flow control technologies for novel aircraft configurations to achieve a quantum leap in improving aircraft’s performance and thus reducing the environmental footprint. The project consortium is composed by forty European partners from fifteen countries. The work has been broken down into seven work packages. The AFLoNext concept is based on six Technology Streams:(1) Hybrid Laminar Flow technology applied on fin and wing for friction drag reduction.(2) Flow control technologies applied on outer wing for performance increase.(3) Technologies for local flow separation control applied in wing/pylon junction to improve the performance and loads situation mainly during take-off and landing.(4) Technologies to control the flow conditions on wing trailing edges thereby improving the performance and loads situation in the whole operational domain.(5) Technologies to mitigate airframe noise during landing generated on flap and undercarriage and through mutual interaction.(6) Technologies to mitigate/control vibrations in the undercarriage area during take-off and landing.AFLoNext aims to prove the engineering feasibility of the HLFC technology for drag reduction on fin in flight test and on wing by means of large scale testing as well as for vibrations mitigation technologies for reduced aircraft weight and for noise mitigation technologies.The peculiarity of the AFLoNext proposal in terms of holistic technical approach and efficient use of resources becomes obvious through the joint use of a flight test aircraft as common test platform for the above mentioned technologies.To improve aircraft performance locally applied active flow control technologies on wing and wing/pylon junction are qualified in wind tunnels or by means of lab-type demonstrators.