The Airbus Summit in Toulouse saw an announcement regarding the Wing of Tomorrow program, which explores new manufacturing and assembly techniques with the aim of making aviation more sustainable.
Program Wing of Tomorrow
Wing of Tomorrow, a major Airbus technology and research program, has achieved a significant milestone by assembling its first full-size prototype wing. This new wing demonstrator will showcase more than 100 technologies to help explore new manufacturing techniques and assembly techniques in order to make aviation more sustainable.
The Wing of Tomorrow program will test new composite materials and technologies in aerodynamics, wing architecture, and more importantly, how wing manufacturing can be improved to meet future demand, as the sector recovers from the pandemic.
In total, three full-size prototype wings are being manufactured
One will be used for understanding systems integration
To compare with computer modeling, a second structural test will be done.
To test scaling up production and compare it against industrial modeling, a third will be assembled
Sabine Klauke is Chief Technical Officer at Airbus. Wing of Tomorrow, an important part of Airbus R&T portfolio will help us evaluate the industrial feasibility of future production of wing. We can use high-performing wing technology to help contribute to aviation's decarbonisation goals. Wing of Tomorrow is a great example of large-scale industry collaboration that will be crucial to our sector's agenda for a more sustainable tomorrow.
Part-funded by the UK's Aerospace Technology Institute is Wing of Tomorrow. This fully transnational Airbus program involves global partners and teams from all Airbus European sites including Bremen, Germany, where the Wing Moveables team resides.
The complex wing cover was sub-assembled at Airbus Filton, England. It had been manufactured at Bristol's National Composite Centre. GKN Aerospace's Fixed Trailing Edge, a major component of the wing cover, was delivered to the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Wales at the Airbus wing production plant in Broughton. Assembly began.
