X-Press Special Edition

AAW: Wright Now

Cover design by Jay Levine

One hundred years ago, the Wright brothers successfully flew the first airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Wing twist is how the Wrights obtained roll control, and it's currently the technique researchers are using to achieve more effective control roll in the Active Aeroelastic Wing research aircraft.

AAW technologies may one day lead to aircraft that change their features in flight like the morphing aircraft evisioned for the future, shown at the bottom of the cover graphic. Thanks go to NASA Langley Research Center for the morphing aircraft image, and to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum for permission to use the Wright brothers' drawings as well as an image from the first flight in this Special Edition focusing on AAW technology and the daring men who first conquered flight.

Inside This Edition

Dryden plays key roles in AAW

Phase One records valuable data

Phase Two advances AAW work

Re-Wright: Wright brothers wing is new design of future

Flight Research - the ultimate proof of concept

Morphing aircraft is the future

Langley research key for AAW and morphing technologies

Special Acknowledgements