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Footage released of plane that manoeuvres without flaps

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Video: Footage released of plane that manoeuvres without flaps - Telegraph
British engineers have released footage of the world's first ''flapless'' plane which uses hundreds of tiny air jets to control its movements.
The DEMON uses output from the jets to control airflow over the plane, manipulating lift and drag without using traditional mechanisms to steer. It only made its maiden flight earlier this month on Walney Island off the Cumbrian coast.
DEMON's developers believe the technology could revolutionise the stealth capabilities of military aircraft by reducing edges and gaps that can be picked up on radar.
It could also reduce fuel and maintenance costs for commercial airliners.

DEMON, an unmanned air vehicle (UAV), was developed by a team of engineers at Manchester and Cranfield universities, together with aerospace giant BAE Systems.
Professor John Fielding, chief engineer and lead for the DEMON demonstrator team from Cranfield University, said: ''To make an aircraft fly and manoeuvre safely without the use of conventional control surfaces is an achievement in itself.
''Gaining approval from the Civil Aviation Authority and flying it successfully has required great skill, dedication and patience by the team and they should be very proud of their achievement.''
The DEMON was developed around a concept called ''fluidic flight control'' and is designed to forgo the use of conventional mechanical elevators and ailerons, or flaps.
It is instead manoeuvred by hundreds of tiny jets that blast air in order to influence to change the lift, drag and other features of performance.
The result is a more streamlined, aerodynamic craft that cuts down on edges and gaps - features that can increase radar detection.
These stealth characteristics give the aircraft greater ability to penetrate an enemy's most sophisticated defences.

Additionally it cuts down the number of moving and electrical parts in both military and civil aircraft, affecting cost, reliability, weight, efficiency and maintenance.
 
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Well.. it does have smaller control surfaces.. so it is a reduction in edges..........somewhat.
 
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The logic is flawed here for two reasons :

1. Why do bother with flaps when the rudder is still there ?
2. why do away with tested flaps with complex numerous jets ?

Planes struggle for a twr > 1, and we are talking about diverting precious thrust !
 
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