# Flaperon

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Aircraft control surface that combines the functions of both flaps and ailerons

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[Boeing 777](/source/Boeing_777) flaperon

Flaperons on a [Denney Kitfox](/source/Denney_Kitfox) Model 3, built in 1991

Flaperons ([Junkers](/source/Junkers) style) on an [ICP Savannah](/source/ICP_Savannah) Model S, built in 2010

Operation of the flaperon of a [Boeing 777](/source/Boeing_777) during left and right [banking](/source/Banked_turn)

A **flaperon** ([portmanteau](/source/Portmanteau) of *[flap](/source/Flap_(aeronautics))* and *[aileron](/source/Aileron)*) on an aircraft wing is a type of [control surface](/source/Flight_control_surfaces) that combines the functions of both flaps and ailerons. Some [kitplanes](/source/Kitplane) have flaperons for simplicity of manufacture, while large commercial aircraft such as the [Boeing 747](/source/Boeing_747), [767](/source/Boeing_767), [777](/source/Boeing_777), and [787](/source/Boeing_787_Dreamliner) may have a flaperon between the flaps and aileron. The 787 has a SpoileFlaperon that combines the action of [spoilers](/source/Spoiler_(aeronautics)), flaps and ailerons into one control surface.

## Operation

In addition to controlling the [roll](/source/Flight_dynamics_(aircraft)) or bank of an aircraft, as do conventional ailerons, both flaperons can be lowered together to reduce stall speed, similarly to a set of flaps.

On a plane with flaperons, the pilot still has the standard separate controls for ailerons and flaps, but the flap control also varies the flaperon's range of movement. A mechanical device called a "mixer" is used to combine the pilot's input into the flaperons. While the use of flaperons rather than ailerons and flaps might seem to be a simplification, some complexity remains through the intricacies of the mixer.

Some aircraft, such as the [Denney Kitfox](/source/Denney_Kitfox), suspend the flaperons below the wing (rather in the manner of [slotted flaps](/source/Flap_(aeronautics)#Types)) to provide undisturbed airflow at high angles of attack or low airspeeds.[1] When the flaperon surface is hinged below the trailing edge of a wing, they are sometimes named "Junkers flaperons", from the *doppelflügel* (lit., "double wing") type of trailing edge surfaces used on a number of [Junkers](/source/Junkers) aircraft of the 1930s, such as the [Junkers Ju 52](/source/Junkers_Ju_52) airliner, and the iconic [Junkers Ju 87](/source/Junkers_Ju_87) *Stuka* World War II [dive bomber](/source/Dive_bomber).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Research

Research seeks[*[when?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*] to coordinate the functions of [aircraft flight control surfaces](/source/Aircraft_flight_control_system) (ailerons, [elevators](/source/Elevator_(aircraft)), [elevons](/source/Elevon), flaps, and flaperons) so as to reduce weight, cost, and drag, and thereby achieve improved control response, reduced complexity, and reduced [radar visibility](/source/Radar_cross_section) for [stealth](/source/Stealth_technology) purposes. Beneficiaries of such research might include [drones](/source/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle) (UAVs) and the latest [fighter aircraft](/source/Fighter_aircraft). [*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

These research approaches include flexible wings and fluidics:

### Flexible wings

In flexible wings, much or all of a wing surface can change shape in flight to deflect air flow. The [X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing](/source/X-53_Active_Aeroelastic_Wing) is a [NASA](/source/NASA) effort. The [Adaptive Compliant Wing](/source/Adaptive_Compliant_Wing) is a military and commercial effort.[2][3][4] This may be seen as a return to the [wing warping](/source/Wing_warping) used and [patented](/source/Patented) by the [Wright brothers](/source/Wright_brothers).

### Fluidics

In [fluidics](/source/Fluidics), forces in vehicles occur via circulation control,[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] in which larger, more complex mechanical parts are replaced by smaller simpler fluidic systems (slots which emit air flows), where larger forces in fluids are diverted by smaller jets or flows of fluid intermittently, to change the direction of vehicles.[5][6][7] In this use, fluidics promises lower mass and costs (as little as half), and response times, as well as simplicity.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*][*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*]

## See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Flaperons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Flaperons).

- [Aileron](/source/Aileron)

- [Spoileron](/source/Spoileron)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["LAA Type Acceptance Data Sheet Issue 7 Rev A"](http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/engineering/TADs/172%20DENNEY%20KITFOX%20MK1,%202,3,%204,%204-1200.pdf) (PDF). *Light Aircraft Association Data Sheet*. March 2, 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Scott, William B. (27 November 2006), ["Morphing Wings"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110426122028/http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/), *Aviation Week & Space Technology*, archived from [the original](http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/) on 26 April 2011, retrieved 27 April 2011

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["FlexSys Inc.: Aerospace"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110616074103/http://www.flxsys.com/aerospace.shtml). Archived from [the original](http://www.flxsys.com/aerospace.shtml) on 2011-06-16. Retrieved 2011-04-26.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Kota, Sridhar; Osborn, Russell; Ervin, Gregory; Maric, Dragan; Flick, Peter; Paul, Donald. ["Mission Adaptive Compliant Wing – Design, Fabrication and Flight Test"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120322211547/http://www.flxsys.com/pdf/NATO_Conf_Paper-KOTA.pdf) (PDF). Ann Arbor, MI; Dayton, OH, U.S.A.: FlexSys Inc., Air Force Research Laboratory. Archived from [the original](http://www.flxsys.com/pdf/NATO_Conf_Paper-KOTA.pdf) (PDF) on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2011-04-26.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** P John (2010). ["The flapless air vehicle integrated industrial research (FLAVIIR) programme in aeronautical engineering"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180517223645/http://journals.pepublishing.com/content/m9r3684g2874w026). *Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering*. **224** (4). London: Mechanical Engineering Publications: 355–363. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1243/09544100JAERO580](https://doi.org/10.1243%2F09544100JAERO580). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[1826/5579](https://hdl.handle.net/1826%2F5579). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0954-4100](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0954-4100). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [56205932](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:56205932). Archived from [the original](http://journals.pepublishing.com/content/m9r3684g2874w026/) on 2018-05-17.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Showcase UAV Demonstrates Flapless Flight"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110707205548/http://www.baesystems.com/AboutUs/ShowcaseUAVDemonstratesFlaplessFlight/). BAE Systems. 2010. Archived from [the original](http://www.baesystems.com/AboutUs/ShowcaseUAVDemonstratesFlaplessFlight/) on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-12-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Demon UAV jets into history by flying without flaps"](http://www.metro.co.uk/news/842292-plane-jets-into-history-by-flying-without-flaps). *Metro.co.uk*. London: Associated Newspapers Limited. 28 September 2010.

v t e Aircraft components and systems Airframe structure Aft pressure bulkhead Cabane strut Canopy Crack arrestor Cruciform tail Dope Empennage Fabric covering Fairing Flying wires Former Fuselage Hardpoint Interplane strut Jury strut Leading edge Lift strut Longeron Nacelle Rib Spar Stabilizer Stressed skin Strut T-tail Tailplane Trailing edge Triple tail Twin tail V-tail Vertical stabilizer Wing root Wing tip Wingbox Flight controls Aileron Airbrake Artificial feel Autopilot Canard Centre stick Deceleron Dive brake Dual control Electro-hydraulic actuator Elevator Elevon Flaperon Flight control modes Fly-by-wire Gust lock HOTAS Rudder Rudder pedals Servo tab Side-stick Spoiler Spoileron Stabilator Stick pusher Stick shaker Trim tab Wing warping Yaw damper Yoke Aerodynamic and high-lift devices Active Aeroelastic Wing Adaptive compliant wing Anti-shock body Blown flap Channel wing Dog-tooth Drag-reducing aerospike Flap Gouge flap Gurney flap Krueger flap Leading-edge cuff Leading-edge droop flap LEX Slats Slot Stall strips Strake Variable-sweep wing Vortex generator Vortilon Wing fence Winglet Avionic and flight instrument systems ACAS Air data boom Air data computer Aircraft periscope Airspeed indicator Altimeter Annunciator panel Astrodome Attitude indicator Compass Course deviation indicator EFIS EICAS Flight management system Glass cockpit GPS Head-up display Heading indicator Horizontal situation indicator INS ISIS Multi-function display Pitot–static system Radar altimeter TCAS Transponder Turn and slip indicator Variometer Yaw string Propulsion controls, devices and fuel systems Autothrottle Drop tank FADEC Fuel tank Gascolator Inlet cone Intake ramp NACA cowling NACA duct Self-sealing fuel tank Splitter plate Throttle Thrust lever Thrust reversal Townend ring War emergency power Wet wing Landing and arresting gear Aircraft tire Arrestor hook Autobrake Conventional landing gear Drogue parachute Landing gear Landing gear extender Oleo strut Tricycle landing gear Tundra tire Escape systems Ejection seat Escape crew capsule Other systems Aircraft lavatory Auxiliary power unit Bleed air system Deicing boot Emergency oxygen system Environmental control system Flight recorder Hydraulic system Ice protection system In-flight entertainment system Landing lights Navigation light Passenger service unit Ram air turbine

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Flaperon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaperon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flaperon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.