CFD-based aeroelastic analysis of NLF wings.

The effect of Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) technology on the aeroelastic behavior of transport aircraft wings is widely unknown. This numerical study investigates the influence of boundary layer transition on the unsteady aerodynamic response of NLF airfoils and wings. State-of-the-art RANS methods for transition prediction are compared at wind tunnel and free flight conditions. A more critical flutter behavior is indicated for a transitional flow.