Uplifting sounds

An Australian aerospace engineer has developed a technique that he claimed can boost aircraft lift by using sound to control air flow over wings.

The discovery would allow UAVs and light aircraft to benefit from smaller, more efficient wings that reduce weight and fuel consumption without increasing the chance of the plane stalling, according to its developer.

Ian Salmon, an aircraft development engineer within the Fleet Development arm of Qantas Airways, fitted a wing with flexible plastic panels.

These vibrate when an electric current is passed through them, producing barely audible sound.

At certain frequencies the air passing over the wing can be made to remain more closely aligned to it, increasing efficiency and giving a boost in lift of up to 22 per cent compared to a traditional wing, said Salmon.

Previous attempts to use sound to control lift consisted of directing sound at a model in a wind tunnel. However, the noise level required was often painfully high.