A small test airfoil representative
of an aircraft wing section
has been undergoing flight tests on NASA's
F-15B aeronautics research testbed
to determine its ability
to create smooth or laminar airflow
at supersonic speeds.
The second phase of the
Supersonic Boundary Layer Transition Project
at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center
is investigating the transition from
laminar to turbulent airflow
in a real-world flight environment.
The less turbulence, the less aerodynamic drag.
The flight tests are being conducted in
partnership with the Aerion Corporation
and could lead to refined airfoil designs
that incorporate natural laminer flow at
supersonic cruise conditions.
[On condition]
That would increase aerodynamic efficiency
and result in reduced fuel consumption
of future supersonic aircraft.
