FIRST RESULTS OF THE GROUNDTEST OF A FIBRE REINFORCED CONTINUOUS FLEXIBLE GAP AND STEPLESS SMART DROOP NOSE DEVICE FOR HIGH LIFT APPLICATIONS

Within the framework of the fourth national German research program for aeronautics a fiber rein-forced continuous flexible gap- and step less smart droop nose device for high lift applications at transportation aircrafts is developed in the project SmartLED. The concept of the smart droop nose is the result of the teamwork of the partners Airbus, EADS-IW, and CASSIDIAN. Within the project SmartLED the DLR- Institute of Composite Structures and Adaptive Systems is responsible for the structural design, material tests the tests of structural subcomponents, the simulation of the overall structural system and the development of the manufacturing technology for the flexible glass fiber reinforced components for the ground test. The objective of the project is the verification of the technical feasibility and the functionality of a new gap and step less flexible morphing leading edge segment for high lift application in a 1:1 ground test for aerodynamically relevant deflection angles. The technical feasibility and functionality was proofed in the end of 2010 in a large scale ground test at CASSIDIAN including relevant loading conditions like wing bending. The presentation of the first results of the ground test is the content of this publication. Initially the presentation illustrates and explains the concept of the smart droop nose and the test setup of the ground test. Subse-quently first results of the ground test i.e. measurements of the deformation behavior of the leading edge at maximum deflection angle will be presented. The deformation at maximum deflection angle will then be compared to the results of finite element simulations with subsequent discussion of deviations. Finally the overall performance of the leading edge segment and deviations from the calculated results will be discussed and assessed