Method for reducing fuel consumption in aircraft

A method of modifying existing Boeing 737 type aircraft having multiple flap segments, including fore, mid and aft flap segments, and having predetermined original flap positions, including an original flap retracted position and original flap extended positions, to increase the lift-to-drag ratio of the wings when the flaps are retracted, comprising:

• limiting the aft flap segment retraction to define a new aft flap segment retracted position between the original aft flap segment retracted position and an original aft flap segments extended position without effecting the original flap segment movement limits when not in the flaps retracted position;
• and,
• filling the voids created to maintain an even aerodynamic surface over the flaps;
• whereby the method increases the aerodynamic efficiency of the wings by increasing the coefficient of lift and decreasing the coefficient of drag when the flaps are in the new, flap retracted position.

A method of modifying existing aircraft having multiple section flaps, including aft-most flap sections, and having predetermined original flap section positions, including original flap retracted positions and original flap extended positions, to increase the lift-to-drag ratio of the wings when the flaps are retracted, comprising:

• limiting the aft-most flap section retraction to define a new aft-most flap section retracted position between the original aft-most flap section retracted position and an original aft-most flap section extended position without effecting the original flap movement limits when not in the flaps retracted position;
• and,
• filling the voids created to maintain an even aerodynamic surface over the flaps;
• whereby the method increases the aerodynamic efficiency of the wings by increasing the lift-to-drag ratio when the flaps are in the new, flap retracted position.

An airfoil comprising:

• a leading edge and a trailing edge;
• an upper surface and a lower surface extending between the leading and trailing edges;
• a chord length defined by the leading and trailing edges;
• a camber defined by the leading and trailing edges;
• a flight control surface member as an integral part of the trailing edge of the airfoil;
• a control mechanism coupled to the flight control surface member by a self-adjusting push-pull rod and operable to move the flight control surface member between forward and aft end positions;
• the self-adjusting push-pull rod having a length which is increased when the flight control surface member is moved from the aft end position to the forward end position by the control mechanism.