Optimising the shape

Abstract

THE ECONOMIC and operational efficiency of any supersonic airliner depends on the successful reconciliation of two conflicting aerodynamic requirements: good control and handling characteristics at subsonic and transonic speeds and low trim drag at supersonic speeds. Years of aerodynamic research have established the slender delta wing as the optimum shape for mach two cruise. In the Concorde design, the basic slender delta was modified by cambering the profile and tapering the forward part of it, refining the wingtips and leading edges to give improved low speed controllability without detriment to supersonic performance. Thousands of hours in different wind tunnels have enabled optimisation of the shape of the aircraft. Some results which were not available in time for incorporation on the prototypes have already been embodied on the pre‐production and production planes. Even though some of these modifications, such as elongation, redesigned nose vizor and tail shape were not applied for aerodynamic improvements, they have nevertheless affected aerodynamics.

Citation

SARTRE, P. (1973), "Optimising the shape", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 45 No. 4, pp. 4-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb035009