NASA’s Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) F/A-18A Hornet, the first
aircraft to bear the official “Centennial of Flight” logo, will be on
display at three major Midwest air shows from mid-July through early
August.
The modified jet fighter is currently in a flight research program to
investigate active control of flexible wings for enhanced
maneuverability at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards
Air Force Base, Calif. A joint program of the Air Force Research
Laboratory (AFRL), NASA Dryden and Boeing Phantom Works, AAW seeks to
demonstrate improved aircraft roll control through aerodynamically
induced wing twist on a full-scale manned supersonic
aircraft-essentially a 21st century, high-tech update of the
primitive wing-warping control system devised by the Wright brothers
for their 1903 Wright Flyer. Among other benefits, the concept could
allow lighter-weight wings for better maneuverability for future
high-performance military aircraft.
The AAW test aircraft will be featured as part of NASA’s Centennial
of Flight exhibit at the Dayton International Air Show at Dayton
International Airport, Dayton, Ohio, July 17 – 20. The modified
F/A-18 will be parked in the static aircraft display area near the
main air show entrance.
Following its appearance at Dayton, the AAW F/A-18A will head to
Grissom Air Reserve Base north of Kokomo, Ind., for display at the
Grissom Community Air Show July 26-27. It will be located in Hangar
200 at the main entrance to the air show, directly across from the
public parking area.
The final stop on the Midwest air show circuit for the NASA research
aircraft will be at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis., for
the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture 2003. The highly
instrumented research craft will be displayed at AeroShell Square
(west ramp) adjacent to the “Countdown to Kittyhawk” pavilion at
AirVenture from July 29 through Aug. 4.
Several NASA, AFRL and Boeing Phantom Works AAW program personnel
will be on hand at the Dayton venue July 16 – 20 to discuss the
program with news media. Among those available for media interviews
will be NASA Dryden project managers Larry Myers and Denis Bessette,
chief engineer David Voracek, and project pilots Dana Purifoy and
Richard Ewers. Boeing program managers David Riley and James Guffey
and AFRL program managers Peter Flick and Ed Pendleton will also be
available for media queries at various times during the Dayton event.
The NASA AAW personnel will also be available for media interviews at
the Grissom AFB and EAA AirVenture shows.
Media representatives desiring interviews with AAW program staff at
the Dayton air show should contact Leslie Williams of NASA Dryden
public affairs at (661) 276-3893 by July 11 or at (661) 810-4977
after that date, or Larine Barr of AFRL public affairs at (937)
656-9010. Williams will also be the AAW media liaison at the Grissom
air show. Media wishing to interview AAW personnel at EAA AirVenture
2003 should contact Alan Brown at NASA Dryden public affairs at (661)
276-2665 by July 24, or at (661) 810-4978 after that date.
– NASA –
High-resolution photos of NASA’s AAW F/A-18A suitable for publication
are available at: www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/AAW/index.html
