NASA Completes First Flight of Laminar Flow Scaled Wing Design

NASA’s Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) scale-model wing flies on a NASA F-15 research jet during a test flight from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The CATNLF technology is designed to maintain smooth airflow, known as laminar flow. NASA will continue flight tests to collect data that validates the CATNLF design and its potential to improve laminar flow, reducing drag and lowering fuel costs for future commercial aircraft.

NASA’s Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) scale-model wing flies on a NASA F-15 research jet during a test flight from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The CATNLF technology is designed to maintain smooth airflow, known as laminar flow. NASA will continue flight tests to collect data that validates the CATNLF design and its potential to improve laminar flow, reducing drag and lowering fuel costs for future commercial aircraft.

Photographer NASA/Carla Thomas
Location AFRC
NASAF-15CATNLFCrossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar FlowSCHAMROQSchlieren Airborne Measurements and Range Operations for QuesstTransonicSubsonicScale ModelWing DesignAeronauticsAerialFlight Demonstrations and CapabilitiesFDCAFRCArmstrong Flight Research CenterLangley Research CenterAirplanesEdwards Air Force BaseAeronautics Research Test BedAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateARMDIntegrated Aviation Systems ProgramIASPAdvanced Air Transport TechnologyAATTCalifornia