A modified F/A-18A undergoes wing torsion or twist testing in the Flight Dynamics Laboratory at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The tests simulate the amount of twisting that the wing might encounter during flight in the Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) flight research project at Dryden. During the tests, powerful hydraulic jacks attached to a fixture mounted on the tip of the F/A-18's left wing literally twist the wing to determine its flexibility, while numerous strain gauges and other devices record the stresses on the wing structure.
