NASA Developing Special Coating to Bug-Proof Airplane Wings

Like most agencies, NASA is always looking for a way to combat bugs, or problems, in its systems. Sometimes those bugs are actually bugs — tiny insects that go splat on flying craft. All those insect guts stuck to the outsides of planes and other vehicles can be a literal drag, increasing fuel consumption and pollutants.

In an effort to combat the problem, researchers at NASA — called the 'bug team' — recently tested coatings to reduce the amount of insect contamination on the wings of commercial airplanes. An effective coating — sort of like Teflon for bug guts — could reduce the amount of bugs that stick on the plane, which could lead to lower flight costs. Read more...