Title: X-29A Audaces Fortuna Juvat
Designer: Unknown
Year it was designed: circa 1980
Explanation or story behind the patch: The X-29A Forward Swept Wing Technology Demonstrator program was a research and development testbed aircraft to demonstrate a large suite of advanced technologies. Amongst them were dramatically relaxed static stability (the aircraft was 33% statically unstable), close-coupled canard, forward swept wings, quad-redundant digital fly-by-wire flight controls, and aeroelastically tailored structural composite wings. Many of the approaches and philosophies used on the later high angle of attack series of programs were developed on the X-29A. The later phases of the X-29A were also used to examine high angles of attack. Partners included the US Air Force, DARPA, Grumman, and NASA. The Latin slogan “Audaces Fortuna Juvat” is translated as “Fortune Favors the Bold.”
For more information on the X-29 aircraft, click: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-008-DFRC.html