Boundary layer control means

Claim 1

In an aircraft, an extended body member provided with leading and trailing edges and having an exterior surface disposed substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the aircraft when in forward motion, said surface having a plurality of elongated parallel and laterally spaced-apart fluid-discharge slots therethrough, said slots extending between points adjacent said leading and trailing edges and disposed with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the normal forward direction of the aircraft movement, each said slot having an exit portion directed laterally and away from the aircraft centerline towards the outer extremity of said extended body member, said laterally directed exit portions of successive ones of said slots disposed in a progressively stepped manner from the aircraft centerline to said extended member outer extremity, and means within said aircraft generating a high-velocity flow of fluid medium and directing sail flow interiorly of said body member to said slot exit portions, whereby said fluid flow exits said slots and is directed over, in a juxtaposed manner, that portion of said surface between said slots and between said leading and trailing edges.