TF-2004-01 DFRC
The AD-1
"Oblique Wing Research Aircraft"
The AD-1 oblique wing research aircraft was photographed during a wing sweep test flight.
The aircraft was flown 79 times during the research program conducted at NASA Dryden
between 1979 and 1982.
NASA Photo ECN 13305-4
One of aviation’s most unconventional concepts, a wing that pivots obliquely, was successfully flight
tested at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in a program which produced aerodynamic data that
would be extremely useful in the future development of a fuel-efficient transonic (just above and below the
speed of sound) oblique wing aircraft.
The oblique wing concept was tested on the AD-l (Ames-Dryden 1), a small, subsonic, single-seat
research aircraft specifically designed and built for the test and evaluation program which began in 1979
and continued until 1982.
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The simple goal of the AD-1 flight test program for any future effort to develop a state-of-the-art
was to demonstrate that an aircraft with a wing that oblique wing aircraft.
pivoted obliquely as much as 60 degrees could be
safely flown.
Program Background
The oblique wing concept was developed by
Initiated in December 1979, the AD-1 program
Robert T. Jones, a renowned aeronautical engineer
was jointly sponsored by the NASA Dryden and
who, in 1945, proposed the idea of sweeping wings
NASA Ames research centers. Program participants
rearward as a means of delaying the shock waves
also included the Boeing Commercial Airplane
and compressibility as an aircraft neared the speed
Company, which chose the basic configuration of
of sound (Mach 1), thus allowing aircraft to fly more
the aircraft; Rutan Aircraft Factory, Mojave, Calif.,
efficiently at high subsonic speeds. At that time,
which performed a detailed design and loads
Jones was an engineer at the NACA (National
analysis; and the Ames Industrial Company,
Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) Langley
Bohemia, N.Y., the firm that built the aircraft.
facility, now the NASA Langley Research Center.
When Jones issued his oblique wing concept, he was
The objectives of the AD-1 program were to
a senior aeronautical engineer at the NASA Ames
evaluate the handling and flying qualities of an
Research Center.
oblique wing aircraft, investigate its control system
requirements, and compare data obtained during the
Based on wind tunnel studies, Jones believed
research project with information generated during
that a transport-size aircraft with an oblique wing
earlier wind tunnel tests on scaled models.
would have better aerodynamic performance than
an aircraft with conventional wings at speeds up to
The low cost of the program limited the scope
Mach 1.4. Studies by Jones also predicted that
of technical research that could be carried out, but
oblique wing transport aircraft would have the
the program generated enough information on
potential of either increased range or reduced gross
handling qualities and aerodynamics at various
takeoff weight, and would be twice as fuel efficient
speeds and pivot angles to show the potential
as a conventional design. The studies by Jones also
capabilities of a larger version with state-of-the-art
suggested that subsonic and transonic aircraft with
control systems.
oblique wings would generate less takeoff noise and
would generally have better low-speed performance
than aircraft with conventional wings. Jones also NASA Dryden was responsible for all preflight
predicted that an oblique wing aircraft would inspections and activities, flight safety, maintenance,
generate a “softer” sonic boom than a conventional and all flight operations.
wing aircraft at speeds up to Mach 1.4.
Total cost of the aircraft was $240,000 on a
The AD-1 was flown 79 times during the flight fixed-price contract.
test program and demonstrated acceptable flying
qualities up to a pivot angle of 50 degrees (in relation The AD-1 Aircraft
to the fuselage).
The AD-1 was a single-seat aircraft 38.8 feet
Technical information generated by the AD-1 long. It had a wingspan of 32.3 feet when
program would be a valuable source of research data perpendicular to the fuselage. During the oblique
wing sweep, the right half of the wing pivoted
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forward and the left half pivoted rearward, with a altitude, airspeed, normal acceleration, angles of
maximum pivot of 60 degrees. attack and sideslip, wing sweep angle, engine
parameters, and rudder trim position. The pilot did
not have any instruments displaying aircraft attitude,
so all handling qualities maneuvers were made using
visual references.
The electrical system was a single battery with
a generator on each engine. The generators served
as starters for the engines. Electrical power was
supplied by either the battery or the generators to
operate the cockpit gauges, the control-surface trim
motors, the wing pivot drive motors, and the on-
board data acquisition system.
The AD-1 is shown from below during a flight test. Among the parameters recorded by the on-
NASA Photo EC81-14632 board data acquisition system were pitch, roll, and
yaw rates; pitch and roll attitudes; lateral and
Two small turbojet engines, each rated at 220
longitudinal acceleration; angles of sideslip and
lbs of thrust, were mounted on short pylons just aft
attack; elevator, aileron, rudder, and trim tab
of the fuselage mid-point. The engines gave the AD-
positions; wing yaw angle; and left and right wingtip
l a top airspeed of about 200 mph.
leading edge acceleration rates.
Takeoff speed was about 97 mph and the best
A switch on the instrument panel initiated the
rate of climb was between 126 mph and 138 mph.
wing sweep. The wing could be returned to the
During landings, the touchdown speed was 92 mph.
unswept position by either the main switch or a
trigger on the pilot’s center control stick.
The structure of the aircraft was a fiberglass-
reinforced plastic sandwich with a core of rigid foam.
With pilot and fuel, the aircraft weighed about
The pivoting wing, aeroelastically tailored, was
2100 lbs. Empty weight was about 1450 lbs. A full
attached to the upper fuselage just aft of the mid-
fuel load gave the aircraft a flying time of about 75
point above the engines. The aircraft featured a
minutes and a speed of about 170 mph in level flight
conventional vertical rudder and horizontal
at an altitude of 12,500 feet.
stabilizer.
All of the basic structural components of the
Simplicity was the AD-l’s hallmark. The
aircraft were designed for a positive 8.0-g load and
tricycle landing gear was fixed and mounted very
a negative 4.0-g load. The exception was the wing
close to the fuselage, which lessened aerodynamic
pivot system. It was designed to 25-g positive and
drag. The aircraft was just 6.75 feet high. There
negative forces.
were no hydraulic systems in the aircraft, and the
control system -- ailerons, elevator, and rudder --
was composed of cables and torque tubes. The AD-l Flight Test Program
The aircraft was designed and built for visual The first flight of the oblique wing was on Dec.
flying only. Presented on the instrument panel were 21, 1979. NASA research pilot Tom McMurtry was
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the project pilot and flew the first series of missions. between 50 degrees and 60 degrees of sweep.
Later in the program, a series of pilot evaluation
flights were made by guest pilots to obtain a Degradation in handling qualities at the high
qualitative evaluation of the aircraft’s flying qualities sweep angles can be attributed to pitch-roll coupling
for use in future studies of an oblique wing aircraft. effects, in addition to the aeroelastic qualities of the
The aircraft was flown 79 times, with its final flight wing. The fiberglass structure of the wing limited
on Aug. 7, 1982. stiffness that would have improved its handling
qualities. Studies on a simulator also showed that
During the initial series of test flights, the control system augmentation would significantly
aircraft’s general handling qualities, stability, and improve flying qualities at sweep angles up to 60
performance were evaluated. Once the basic flight degrees.
elements were satisfied, the operating envelope was
slowly expanded and the wing was moved carefully The final eight flights of the AD-1 were not
and incrementally on each succeeding flight until made at NASA Dryden. The aircraft was exhibited
the maximum 60-degree of sweep was safely in 1982 at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s
reached in mid-1981. The aircraft was flown for (EAA) annual exhibition in Oshkosh, Wisc., where
another full year to obtain additional data at various it was flown eight times to publicly display the
speeds and wing pivot angles. unique wing concept.
A variety of maneuvers were performed during
The Future of the Oblique Wing Concept
the program to investigate flutter, divergence, and
loads, while also studying the aircraft’s
Final reports from the pilot evaluation program
aerodynamics and evaluation of its handling qualities
recommended that any future testing of the oblique
at various wing angles. The maneuvers included
wing concept be conducted with a fly-by-wire flight
doublets, windup turns, slow sideslip variations, 1-
control system in the transonic-supersonic regime
g decelerations, pull-ups and pushovers, descents,
where the oblique wing is expected to perform the
and aileron rolls. Most all of these tests were
best.
conducted at an altitude of 12,500 feet.
The pilot evaluation reports also suggested that
During the guest pilot phase of the test program,
the oblique wing design be looked at closely for a
each pilot flew the aircraft once to assess its handling
carrier-based anti-submarine role because of its
qualities. Each of those flights included handling
predicted loiter capability, low approach and landing
and performance assessments with the wing in a full
speed, and its expected supersonic dash capability.
60-degree sweep.
Studies also say that the oblique wing concept
Following the program’s conclusion, overall
also has great potential in a fighter aircraft role, again
evaluations by project test pilots and guest pilots
because of predicted loiter and supersonic dash
reported that the aircraft had acceptable handling
capabilities. These same studies say an oblique wing
qualities at sweep angles up to 50 degrees, with a
fighter would show a 17 percent improvement in
degradation in flying qualities reported by some at
takeoff weight or a 29 percent mission performance
45 degrees. The primary degradation occurred
advantage at the same gross weight.
