Who says jets need flaps and rudders to fly? Aurora Flight Sciences is developing the new X-65, part of the government’s long-running experimental X-Plane series, which uses active flow control (AFC) to manage all maneuvers.
This aircraft is under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program. Since Aurora initiated the concept in 2020, the X-65 has advanced through several phases, including initial design collaboration with Boeing and the University of Arizona, system requirements completion, airworthiness evaluations, and wind-tunnel testing. By December 2022, the project received approval to commence detailed engineering design, and now construction of a demonstrator is underway.
The AFC system is a novel method for controlling the aircraft’s maneuvers. Instead of using traditional rudders and flaps, it employs jets of pressurized air in 14 “effectors” to shape the airflow over the X-65’s surface, controlling roll, pitch, and yaw. This design reduces weight and complexity by eliminating external moving parts, thereby enhancing performance.
“The X-65 is a technology demonstrator, and its unique, diamond-like wing shape is designed to maximize our learning about AFC in full-scale, real-world tests,” said Dr. Richard Wlezien, DARPA’s program manager for CRANE.
The unpiloted demonstrator will have a 30-foot wingspan, weigh approximately 7,000 pounds, and reach speeds of up to Mach 0.7, or 537 mph. Initially, it will be equipped with both traditional flaps and rudders, along with the AFC effectors, to allow performance comparisons with conventional control mechanisms. “These data will help us better understand how AFC could revolutionize both military and commercial aircraft in the future,” Wlezien added.
The X-65’s modular construction permits engineers to replace outboard wings and swap AFC effectors, enabling the testing of future designs on the same platform. Once completed, the X-Plane will undergo ground testing at Aurora’s headquarters in Manassas, Virginia, with flight testing scheduled for the summer of 2025.
“We are getting ever closer to fulfilling the goal of validating AFC technology and helping to open the design trade space for future applications,” said Kevin Uleck, CRANE program director at Aurora Flight Sciences. “The X-65 has the potential to change the future of aircraft design.”
