Leading edge vortices on flapping wings induce high transient lift during their growth phase and increase maneuverability at low flight speeds. A hypothesis is developed experimentally validated that the vortex a pitching plunging airfoil can be prolonged with dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators. This demonstrated for various airfoils different motion dynamics kinematics.

In this contribution, the unsteady, viscous and two dimensional flow over a plunging NACA0012 airfoil was simulated using a high-order numerical method associated with a moving frame of reference technique. The goal of using a high-order numerical method is to characterize heaving airfoil wakes with very fine temporal and spatial resolutions. This characterization is essential in understanding ...