NASA AD-1 oblique wing aircraft - photo

[Altair]

The NASA AD-1 was an experimental aircraft designed by American aerospace engineer Burt Rutan to demonstrate the oblique wing concept.

Fullsize image: https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/h...t_fullsize.jpg



Previously:

Rutan Model 202 Boomerang asymmetrical aircraft - photo
Boeing 777 wing flexibility test to failure - video
Baker MB-1 Delta Kitten - photo
Eshelman Flying Flounder - photo and video
1918 Stout Batwing - photo
1931 Lanier XL-4 Vacuplane - photos

[mlochala]

And, why would we want to do this?

[mlochala]

By the way, I don't think this was one of Rutan's designs:

"The oblique wing was the brainchild of NASA aeronautical engineer Robert T. Jones, whose analytical and wind tunnel studies at the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA, indicated that an oblique wing, supersonic transport might achieve twice the fuel economy of an aircraft sporting more conventional wings."

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/...AD1/index.html

[mklotz]

By the way, I don't think this was one of Rutan's designs:

"The oblique wing was the brainchild of NASA aeronautical engineer Robert T. Jones, whose analytical and wind tunnel studies at the NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA, indicated that an oblique wing, supersonic transport might achieve twice the fuel economy of an aircraft sporting more conventional wings."

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/...AD1/index.html

This quote...

Although the oblique wing is still considered a viable concept for large transports, the unpleasant flying characteristics of the AD-1 at extreme wing-sweep angles may have discouraged aircraft designers from adopting this configuration.

from that article says it all. I'm guessing that as soon as you try to fly any way other than straight and level you begin discovering all the effects the designer didn't consider or plan for.