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Carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) makes aircraft lighter. The material has not yet been used at the leading edge of wings, as there it would be exposed to extreme stresses. It has to be elastic enough to stand bird strike and icing. Working with industry partners, DLR researchers have developed wing edges made of CFRP, which fulfils these requirements thanks to an electro-thermal heating element that does not ice up.
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