Hybrid Laminar Flow Control on A320 Fin: Retrofit Design and Sample Results

Abstract

A flight test with a simplified hybrid laminar flow control (HLFC) system on the vertical tail plane (VTP) of an A320 aircraft was performed in April/May 2018. This HLFC system was a prototype for a simplified system that might be attractive for drag reduction of commercial long-range aircraft. The paper presents the design principles of a simplified HLFC system, including passive suction, and shows their application to aerodynamic and suction system design for the retrofit of an A320 VTP. Furthermore, sample flight test results will be presented and discussed.