Furthered by economic goals and society`s ecological awareness, laminar flow control technologies move increasingly into focus in transport aircraft design. The reduced friction drag of a natural laminar flow wing enables a reduction in fuel consumption and thus reduction of CO2 emissions and decreasing operational costs. Additional to requirements on conventional wings, a natural laminar flow wing has to comply with high demands on its surface quality. Very small steps, gaps, waviness or lightly protruding fastener heads may cause a laminar-turbulent transition of the sensitive boundary layer flow
