Article: Pilot twists the special wings of an experimental fighter jet

TAKES FIVE DANA PURIFOY

Pilot twists the special wings of an experimental fighter jet

Wednesday, July 30, 2003

Dana Purifoy has a cool job. And a fast one. He's an aerospace research pilot based out of NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif. A former Air Force fighter pilot and test pilot, Purifoy has been flying for 28 years; he now controls the joystick of the Active Aeroelastic Wing flight research aircraft, which finished its first phase of test flights in early May. The supersonic F/A-18 fighter jet has been modified with special flexible wings that feature a thinner covering along with other technical enhancements that allow the wing panels to twist up to 5 degrees. ...

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