ORIGINAL: dick Hanson
My own thots on aerodynamics of aircraft---has far more to do with the structural needs and power limitations .
IF--just -IF-- we could somehow have available -- power plants with double the power outputs at half the weights and airframes with double the strength at half the weights -- imagine what the results would look like .
The airfoils some drone on about endlessly - would have much less effect for many of the general av type craft. supersonic stuff would not be much different tho -as I see it .
I don't think commercial airliners are power-limited. For all but the very
largest, more powerful engines are available, but not needed. Structural
advancements are and would be welcome, of course, as the structures are
subject to demanding loads, and weight reduction has big benefits.
As for the airfoils becoming less important under the conditions you describe,
I think the opposite is more likely. There are two main categories of drag:
lift-induced drag, and 'parasite' drag. If the weight of the aircraft were reduced,
the lift-induced drag would also be reduced. The airfoil has nothing to do
with lift-induced drag, but is indeed important for 'parasite' drag. With less
lift-induced drag, the drag reductions possible through airfoil selection would
become more important, not less important.
banktoturn