How Does the Boeing 787's Wing Shape Enhance Flight Dynamics?

[verdigris]

There is a photo of a boeing 787 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_787

Is this a new wing shape? It looks very curved both in the plane of the wing
and for a dihedral.

 

[J77]

Yeah - it makes it quieter and more fuel efficient.

(Saw this on Nat. Geo. the other day - the future may be a complete flying wing with no windows!)

 

[caslav.ilic]

Is this a new wing shape? It looks very curved both in the plane of the wing and for a dihedral.

Not really, it's stil plain old swept/extended inboard chord, with local evolutionary improvements. It seems curved in flight due to higher elastic deformation -- probably to save on wing structure mass (or not?)

[...] the future may be a complete flying wing with no windows!

Ah, the joys of mass-transport. Reminds me of pig transport by truck.

My dream machine falls more in line with Erich Sommer's comment on Ar234, "Inside the cockpit, and you felt like being in a glass tunnel". Guess this one's less likely then the boomerang stuff above.

--
Chusslove Illich (Часлав Илић)

 

[verdigris]

Are the tips of the wings of the boeing 787 a compromise between reducing wing tip vortex shedding and getting a bit more lift?

 

[ndrw]

In Formula 1, they have been using bendable aerodynamic surfaces to limit downforce at high speed. Could they do the same thing with the 787 wing, a shape for high lift at low speeds to aid take-off and landing and when it bends the shape changes to provide less lift at cruising speed?