Vortex Surfing
Vortex surfing is a related phenomenon that is currently being investigated by the US Air Force to save fuel of long distance flights. The idea is to fly aircraft in the upward part of the wingtip vortex of a leading aircraft. In 2003, NASA said one of its F/A-18 test aircraft had a 29% fuel savings by flying in the wingtip vortex of a DC-8. The DC-8/F-18 flight was an exploratory investigation of large aircraft vortex-induced performance benefits on a fighter-type aircraft. The aircraft flew at 25,000 feet with a separation of about 200 feet nose-to-tail. The F/A-18 slowly moved in laterally to explore the vortex effects, NASA said at the time. The Air Force has also tested vortex surfing with C-17s using auto pilot in 2012, and indicated a 10% fuel saving.
Read more about this topic: Drafting (aerodynamics)
Famous quotes containing the word vortex:
“The Image is more than an idea. It is a vortex or cluster of fused ideas and is endowed with energy.”
—Ezra Pound (1885–1972)