Iosif Taposu has formulated a mathematical model and generated a family of airfoils whose geometry resembles the dolphin shape. These airfoils are characterized by a sharp leading edge and experiments have proven that they can achieve better aerodynamic characteristics at very high angles of attack than certain classical airfoils, with the nose geometry inclined downwards. On the other hand, they have not been applied to any commercial general aviation aircraft. The authors of this paper have been motivated to compare the aerodynamic characteristics of widely used NACA 2415 airfoil with Taposu?s Dolphin that would have the same principal geometric characteristics. A CFD calculation model has been established and applied on NACA 2415. The results were compared with NACA experiments and very good agreements have been achieved in the major domains of lift and polar curves. The same CFD model has been applied on the counterpart Dolphin 2415. Results have shown that the Dolphin has a slightly higher lift/drag ratio in the lift coefficient domain 0.1-0.35 than NACA. On the other hand, at higher and lower lift coefficients, its aerodynamic characteristics were drastically below those of the NACA section, due to the unfavorable influence of the Dolphin?s sharp nose. A series of the Dolphin?s leading edge modifications has been investigated, gradually improving its aerodynamics. Finally, version M4, consisting of about 70% of Dolphin?s original rear domain and 30% of the new nose shape, managed to exceed the NACA?s characteristics, thus paving the way to investigate the Dolphin hybrids that could be suitable for the general aviation industry.

The paper outlines the development and optimization of an aerodynamic device for a semi-trailer truck model to reduce aerodynamic drag force. The optimization procedure involves the selection of a basic aerodynamic device shape, using airfoil profiles, and refining its shape and position through established optimization techniques like Full Factorial Design and Response Surface Method within the Design of Experiments framework. The test subject is a 1:10 scale model of the semi-trailer truck. To validate the results obtained from the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, experimental measurements of aerodynamic drag forces were performed in a wind tunnel. This combination of simulation and experimental testing ensures the reliability and effectiveness of the optimization process for improving vehicle aerodynamics.

This paper presents a comparative study of hybrid dolphin and other bionic airfoils aimed at improving aerodynamic performance through a combined computational and experimental approach. Contemporary designs inspired by avian and marine species employ distinctive geometries and surface textures to enhance lift, reduce drag, and increase the lift-to-drag (L/D) ratio. A systematic comparative analysis of hybrid dolphin airfoils was conducted, evaluating their performance relative to established bionic optimization strategies reported in the literature. Aerodynamic characteristics were assessed using computational optimization techniques, including genetic algorithms and multi-island genetic algorithms, in conjunction with CFD simulations and experimental investigations across a range of Reynolds numbers. The obtained results demonstrate that optimized configurations consistently outperform baseline models, showing notable lift enhancement and drag reduction, leading to significant improvements in L/D ratio. These findings are consistent with literature reports indicating lift increases of up to 28.4%, drag reductions of up to 18.09%, and L/D enhancements of up to 323% under specific flow conditions. Such dramatic L/D improvements are associated with shark denticle-inspired surface structures at low angles of attack (below 4°) and Reynolds numbers of the order of 4 × 10⁴. The comparative results confirm that bionic airfoil optimization provides measurable advantages over conventional designs, particularly within targeted operational regimes.

The development of aviation has set technological requirements that have conditioned the emergence and development of flight instrumentalization. The practical application of aviation for military and civilian purposes, the development of air traffic and technology in general, increase speeds, altitudes and flight lengths, while aircraft are becoming larger and more complex. From light wooden constructions and open cockpit, today planes fly long distances in all weather conditions, which brought the pilot and the construction of the aircraft to the endurance limit. At the beginning, during the pioneer period, flying was completely in the hands of the pilot and he made all the decisions based on his experience and psychophysical abilities. With the complexity of aircraft and flying, technological, ergonomic and safety conditions have an increasing influence on piloting technique. This paper describes the technological conditions and the development of instrumentation and flight automation systems. The application of the digital cockpit establishes many positive standards, but also raises questions about the further direction of aviation development. A special review describes the use and development of one of the basic instruments in the cockpit -the compass. This instrument is still, in an almost unchanged form, in the modern digital cockpit -glass cockpit.