concept design
- cool but cost more energy than quadcopter-dat plus fixed-wing-dat
100% Blown Wing Powered Airplane
info
A blown-wing aircraft is an aircraft that uses forced airflow blown over the wing or flaps to significantly increase lift.
This technique improves low-speed performance and allows short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations.
1. Basic Concept
Normally, wings generate lift from the natural airflow as the aircraft moves forward.
A blown-wing system adds extra high-speed airflow over the wing surface, usually from:
- Propellers
- Jet exhaust
- Ducted fans
- Engine-driven compressors
This extra airflow:
- Keeps airflow attached to the wing
- Delays stall
- Greatly increases lift at low airspeeds
This is a form of powered lift or boundary layer control.
2. Types of Blown-Wing Systems
| Type | English Term | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Propeller-blown wing | propeller blown wing | Propeller wash blows directly over the wing |
| Jet-blown flaps | jet-blown flaps | Jet exhaust directed onto flaps |
| Ducted blown wing | ducted blown wing | Fan airflow routed through ducts to the wing |
| Coandă-effect system | Coandă-effect blown wing | Airflow sticks to curved surfaces to enhance lift |
3. Famous Examples
-
NASA QSRA (Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft)
-
Antonov An-72 / An-74 (jet-blown high-lift system)
-
Boeing YC-14 (Coandă-effect blown flaps)
- Many STOL RC models use prop-wash blown wings to improve lift
4. Advantages
- Very short takeoff and landing distances
- Excellent low-speed control
- Higher lift at high angles of attack
- Useful for STOL research, military, and experimental aircraft
5. Applications
- Short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft
- Urban air mobility research
- High-lift experimental aircraft
- RC aircraft requiring improved low-speed lift