Patent ID: 8128038
Filing Date: 2012-03-06
Classification: B64C,Y02T

Abstract:
1. An aircraft comprising: a wing defining an aerofoil surface, wherein the wing comprises a main wing portion and a drooped leading edge flap, said main wing portion comprising an leading edge surface that extends from a leading edge chordwise distal point to an end point located on an upper surface of said main wing portion, the drooped leading edge flap being configured to rotate, around an axis of rotation, between a stowed position and a deployed position, and wherein the wing, at least during certain flight conditions, when the drooped leading edge flap is in the deployed position, is formed with at least one opening which is defined by (a) an upper gap formed between and immediately adjacent to a rear surface of said drooped leading edge flap and at least part of said leading edge surface of said main wing portion, (b) a lower gap formed between and immediately adjacent to a lower trailing edge of said drooped leading edge flap and a lower surface of said main wing portion, (c) a cavity defined in said deployed position between the drooped leading edge flap and the main wing portion, wherein the drooped leading edge flap is configured such that, during certain flight conditions, when the drooped leading edge flap is in its deployed position, aerodynamic loads cause, at least in part, to vary the size of the upper gap, and whereby during said certain flight conditions, i) air flows into the cavity through the lower gap, and ii) air flows out from the cavity through the upper gap and is mixed into the air of a boundary layer on the upper surface of the wing, thereby energizing the boundary layer and reducing it's susceptibility to separation from the aerofoil surface.