An elastically expandable hollow displacement element is secured to the
rear surface of an aircraft wing slat. When the displacement element is
contracted, the slat may be retracted onto the wing's leading edge. When
the slat is extended, the displacement element is expanded to protrude
convexly from the slat, thereby preventing vortex formation in the slat
air gap and reducing aero-acoustic noise. A pressure control system for
inflating and deflating the displacement element includes a bleed air line
connected from the aircraft engine bleed air system to the displacement
element, a shut-off valve and a pressure control valve interposed in
series in the bleed air line, and a slat contour controller connected by
respective signal lines to the valves, which control the quantity and the
pressure of the bleed air supplied into the displacement element, for
properly inflating the same.