Uni's work on aerospace research

The new wings would be made from fewer parts and be less bulky

Aeroplane wings that change shape in mid-air could become reality after the launch of a new five-year partnership.

Smiths Industries of Cheltenham and the Universities of Bristol and Oxford have begun a research project to develop a material to make the wings from.

Called "composite technology" it would allow wings to be made from less parts, be less bulky and be cheaper to make.

The resulting wings would need less fuel to be burnt therefore making planes cheaper to operate.

Extensive testing

"Existing aircraft wings consist of a fixed wing with moveable and tilting flaps which alter the wing size and shape during take-off, landing and flight," said Sadia Haq of the University of Bristol.

"These require complex mechanical systems which are heavy, bulky and expensive.

"The new material will allow the wings to change shape without such systems."

The new technology will be strictly regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US.

It will have to go through an extensive safety and performance testing programme and meet safety standards before being considered for public use.

The project is part of the Smiths Aerospace University Technology Strategic Partnership (UTSP) in smart composites and metallics (Smartcomp).

"Investment in research and technology for future aerospace programmes is vital to our industry," said Dr John Ferrie, President of Smiths Aerospace.

The collaboration will be led by University UTSP Director, Professor Michael Wisnom, together with eight other academics from the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Bristol and Professor Patrick Grant and Dr Stephen Duncan from Oxford.