How much do plane wings flex?

Many of us have experienced a bumpy ride on a plane, but the routine – albeit always scary –of sudden drops or wobbling wings is nothing compared to what an aircraft is subjected to when undergoing tests. Many modern passenger jets can flex their wings nearly 90 degrees in a test rig.

How much do 787 wings flex?

Aircraft wings can flex much more than most people realize. During testing, the Boeing 787 wings flexed 26 feet upward before failing. Aircraft designers calculate the maximum stress they anticipate a wing will experience in flight, then make it able to withstand 50% more as a safety margin.

What do scientists test airplane wings in?

Assembled from hundreds of tiny identical pieces, the new wing can change shape to control the plane’s flight. The wing design was tested in NASA’s high-speed wind tunnel at Langley Research Center and is described in a paper published online in the journal Smart Materials and Structures.

How is a forelimb flexion test performed on a horse?

In a forelimb flexion test, various joints and soft tissue structures of the lower limb are stretched and/or compressed for a brief period of time by bending the limb. Afterward, the horse is immediately trotted off and observed for signs of lameness. Forelimb flexion tests were described in Swedish veterinary literature as early as 1923.

Are there any stress tests on airplane wings?

In fact, they probably have a bit more flex than you’d expect, and these stress tests that take them to the edge (and beyond!) will show you the full extent of flexibility. Here you’ll see the wings of a Boeing 777 undergoing a test that goes by several names including “wing-up bending test” and “static testing.”

How are the wings of an airplane tested?

This represents 60 years of service, an unprecedented level of test validation for a new Boeing airplane model.” According to Wired, wings are often tested by stacking bags of sand on top of them to mimic the various forces that an airplane experiences while flying.