A computer program to design optimal shape of an airfoil is developed. It is based on a computationally efficient Euler solver with a numerical optimization algorithm. The design goal in the present study is to obtain the airfoil geometry which produces minimum wave drag while maintaining the lift at a specified design condition. The developed computer program implemented for transonic airfoil design only, but it is a general airfoil design computer program and is not limited to a particular application.
The designed airfoil has desirable aerodynamic performance only in the vicinity of the design condition and can be degrade aerodynamic performance at off-design conditions. It is shown that off-design aerodynamic performance of the designed airfoil can be improved by adopting MAW(Mission Adaptive Wing) concept.
