Adding an ACTE II (Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge II) closeout summary to the ACTE II TechPort page

Hiebert, Jonathan M.

NASA Technical Reports Server

The Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) II Sub-Project within the Flight Demonstrations and 
Capabilities (FDC) Project was established to assess key elements of ACTE flap system performance 
through flight demonstrations on the NASA’s SubsoniC Research Aircraft Testbed (SCRAT) G-III 
aircraft. The G-III aircraft, operated out of Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC). was modified by 
replacing the original equipment Fowler Flaps with the ACTE flap system for the planned ACTE II 
flights. Primary objectives of the ACTE II Sub-Project were the following: 
• Expand speed envelope from 0.75 Mach to 0.85 Mach 
• Explore “twisted” flap deflection for load alleviation 
• Collect noise and drag data for model validation 
The ACTE II flight demonstrations were highly successful as they accomplished key objectives while 
logging significantly more flight hours than originally anticipated. Throughout the flight test campaign, 
the ACTE flap structure showed no issues even at higher Mach numbers up to 0.85 Mach. Through in-
flight investigations of twisted flap performance, it was confirmed that twist can be employed to 
manipulate the center of pressure to enable the redistribution of loads on a lifting surface. Further, 
through in-flight drag measurements, ACTE flap drag performance was assessed and characterized to 
enable the validation of computational models. 
In addition to proof of concept for this novel flap configuration, the results of the ACTE II Sub-Project 
confirm that this technology holds promise for increased structural and operational efficiency of future, 
clean sheet aircraft designs.  
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20180005456.pdf 
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-flight-tests-advance-research-of-flexible-twistable-wing-flaps-for-
improved-aerodynamic 
 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20190025922 2019-08-31T14:16:57+00:00Z


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