Overview of the Langley viscous drag reduction program

As a result of reductions in form drag and roughness drag, skin friction, drag, or viscous drag now represents a major contributor to the cruise drag of subsonic business and transport aircraft, and hence, is considered a barrier problem to further significant improvements in the aerodynamic efficiency of these aircraft. To meet the challenge, research in the areas of laminar-flow control and turbulence control/drag reduction was initiated at NASA Langley Research Center. The significance of this research is discussed.