INNOVATION

The Solution

The history of aviation is written in performance and speed. The LAM Aileron represents the first significant change in aileron design since the Curtiss aileron replaced the Wright Brothers’ wing-warping lateral control system over 100 years ago.

Transformative Advances

In the airline industry, improvements of a single digit or even fractions of a percent are deemed worthy of adopting. As an example, winglets currently realize a multi-billion dollar market. They typically offer only an improvement in fuel consumption, typically 2-3%. But they come with increased aircraft weight and airframe stress. The performance gains of LAM Aero Technology are striking.

Decreased fuel consumption
20- 30%–10 times greater than winglets–with decreased airframe weight and stress. Improvements are delivered in all other measures of aircraft performance, with no compromises or penalties.
Superior flight handling characteristics
Increased cruise speed with decreased landing speed and vastly improved roll control.
Low-cost, low-risk pathway
to fly-by-wire flight control for general aviation aircraft. This eliminates the complicated and expensive development and certification requirements mandated for pure fly-by-wire systems.
Corresponding improvements
in other costs of aircraft operation and utility

Dramatic Potential

Our flying demonstrator, the LAM Columbia Volant has proven clear performance gains. It is based on a modified Lancair Columbia 300, already the highest performing light general aviation aircraft in its class. The Volant is capable of cruise at 205 – 210 knots vs. 180 for the Columbia 300, has a 40% higher rate of climb, 30% better range, and carries a greater payload. The Volant also has a lower stall speed and markedly better flight handling, while delivering on the FAA’s mandated spin resistance.

The benefits scale up with larger more capable aircraft. For example, using a PW617F engine with less thrust than the Williams FJ33 engine (1,877 vs. 1,983 lbs.), a light, single-engine jet incorporating LAM Aero Technology could easily carry five passengers and 200 lbs. of luggage a distance of 1,200 nautical miles, cruising at over 400 knots. Such an airplane, based on LAT, would exceed the performance of aircraft that cost several times as much to purchase and operate.

LAM Aero Technology is applicable to nearly all aircraft configurations of all sizes and missions. The most likely early application of the design would be for light and medium turbine aircraft, piston aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. The technology could be easily incorporated into vertical take-off landing (VTOL) aircraft, multi-copters, or drones for forward flight. For eVTOL aircraft, LAM Aero Technology could facilitate the transition between hover and forward flight.

FAA Recognition

In 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took the rare step of inviting LAM Aviation to demonstrate its capabilities to FAA pilots and engineers, indicating their keen interest in LAM Aero Technology. The FAA has since encouraged and collaborated with us to pursue development of LAT. We were again invited in 2018 to demonstrate LAT for the FAA as part of their development of new aircraft certification standards.

The current version of LAM Aero Technology installed on our flight demonstrator meets the new FAA Part 23 requirements and provides a low-cost, low-risk pathway to fly-by-wire flight control actuation, with natural control feel and feedback, and tailoring of control forces and feel across the operational envelope.

Loss of Control has been named by both the FAA and the National Transportation and Safety Board as the most pressing problem in aviation. The FAA is confident that our wing design can address the problem. And they have stated that without a solution such as ours, virtually no currently certified airplanes would meet their new certification requirements for managing Loss of Control. LAM Aviation has the only aerodynamic solution to this critical aerodynamic problem, that also improves performance. The company holds numerous patents for its technology.

INNOVATION

Transformative Advances

Dramatic Potential

FAA Recognition

Connect

LAM Aviation