Horizons Online Edition

Issue date: 9/14/06 Section: News

Suhayl Ali and Natalie Whitman presented a paper to AIAA's 24th Applied Aerodynamics Conference this summer.

At the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 24th Applied Aerodynamics Conference in San Francisco, Cali, Embry-Riddle students Natalie Whitman and Suhayl Ali presented a paper to the assembled members of the AIAA concerning their research on slotted airfoils. The paper, written by Whitman, Ali, Robert Sparks, and Samir Abdul-Rauff with help from Dr. Jeffrey Ashworth, was submitted to AIAA some time before the conference and was accepted.

Titled Experimental Research on a Slotted Airfoil with Modified Slot configurations, the paper was published beforehand and the team now holds the copyrights to the design. The paper and the presentation are a culmination of nearly two years of constant research. It should be noted that the research papers usually presented at the AIAA conference are doctorate level research papers and that Whitman and Ali were the youngest people to attend and speak at the conference. Not only was this a great honor for the team, but also for the university, bringing a sizeable amount of visibility and recognition for Embry-Riddle.

The paper deals with slotted airfoil design, one that provides several advantages over the standard airfoil design for aircraft. With the correct setting, the slotted airfoils provide nearly two times the lift at the same angle of attack and at lower power settings. Also, the advanced design greatly alleviates drag at high angles of attack. However, drag is increased at lower angles of attack, which usually translates to lower allowable top speeds.

As for the reception, Whitman commented that the team and the presentation were both "well received" and that it was "a lot of fun" presenting in front published doctors and others doing their own doctorate research. The team also presented to representatives of NAVAIR in Maryland, where the research has apparently generated some interest. While only casual at this time, and certainly not a guarantee that the project will be picked up by NAVAIR, it is an exciting development for the team and for the university.

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