The air scoop opening at the leading edge of a flexible, ram-air inflated airfoil canopy, is framed between curved lip sections extending tangentially from the upper and lower surface members of the canopy to prevent airflow separation adjacent the leading edge and the drag producing effect thereof. A baffling curtain extends across the air scoop opening.

This disclosure provides a solar rechargeable aircraft that is inexpensive to produce, is steerable, and can remain airborne almost indefinitely. The preferred aircraft is a span-loaded flying wing, having no fuselage or rudder. Travelling at relatively slow speeds, and having a two-hundred foot wingspan that mounts photovoltaic cells on most all of the wing's top surface, the aircraft uses only differential thrust of its eight propellers to turn. Each of five sections of the wing has one or mor...