Low-Speed Wind-Tunnel Investigation of a Fixed and a Free-Floating Wing-Tip Aileron on a Wing With Leading Edge Swept Back 51.3°

A low-speed wind-tunnel investigation was made on a semispan wing swept back 51.3° at the leading edge with an aspect ratio of 4.47 and an NAGA 651-012 airfoil section normal to the 0.556 chord line to determine the effectiveness of a half-delta tip aileron throughout a large angle-of-attack range. Two types of tip ailerons were tested: one a half-delta tip aileron and one a free-floating half-delta tip aileron with a servotab.

The results of the investigation indicated that the rolling effectiveness of either aileron was maintained up to very large angles of attack. The yawing moment caused by aileron deflection, however, was more favorable through the angle-of-attack range for the free-floating aileron.