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The Wright Brothers, Wind Tunnels and NASA A Centennial of Flight Story 1903 - 2003

The Wright Brothers, Wind Tunnels and NASA A Centennial of Flight Story 1903 - 2003. The Wright Brothers. Orville and Wilbur Dayton, Ohio Wright Cycle Company Brain synchronicity Systematic in their experimental approach. The Wright Brothers. Read the research Talked with colleagues

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The Wright Brothers, Wind Tunnels and NASA A Centennial of Flight Story 1903 - 2003

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  1. The Wright Brothers,Wind TunnelsandNASAA Centennial of Flight Story1903 - 2003

  2. The Wright Brothers • Orville and Wilbur • Dayton, Ohio • Wright Cycle Company • Brain synchronicity • Systematic in their experimental approach

  3. The Wright Brothers • Read the research • Talked with colleagues • Determined problems to be solved • Delineated a process for solving problems safely

  4. The Wright Brothers • Problems to be solved • Balance during flight: a way to safely control the airplane’s motion • An engine to move it through the air • Wings needed to lift an airplane into the air

  5. The Wright Brothers • Problem • Balance during flight: a way to safely control the airplane’s motion

  6. The Wright Brothers • Balance Solutions • Horizontal rudder • Wingwarping • Hip cradle

  7. The Wright Brothers • Problem • An engine to move it through the air • Lightweight • Minimal vibration • Powerful enough to turn the propellers

  8. The Wright Brothers • Engine Solutions • Small, powerful, gas engine • Powered 2 propellers

  9. The Wright Brothers • Problem • Wings needed to lift airplane into the air • Determine the length-to-width ratio • Proper amount of camber • Most efficient angle of attack • The center of pressure

  10. The Wright Brothers • Wing Solutions • Throw out previous tables and theories • Devise a better method of testing wings • Use new test results to design a better wing

  11. Wind Tunnels • Whirling Arm Machines • Used in earlier airfoil research • Generated its own turbulence, thus inaccurate data • Could not accurately measure the small forces exerted on a model at high speeds

  12. Wind Tunnels • A simple device • Enclosed passage through which air is driven

  13. Wind Tunnels • Basic operation • Drive system = a fan and motor • Controlled airstream • Test section = enclosed passage • Test instrumentation for data collection

  14. Wind Tunnels • “Tunnel” Vision • Overall better design than whirling arm because it is a self-contained system • Allowed for controlled, systematic testing • Made data gathering easy and reliable • Became the standard method for airflow tests

  15. Wind Tunnels • The Wright Brothers’ Model • Wooden box • Window • Fan • Test section

  16. Wind Tunnels • The Wright Brothers’ Results • A set of highly accurate tables that predicted in advance the performance of an aircraft’s wings • Changes in their aircraft design • Biggest glider yet • Longer wings • Narrower wings • Tail section

  17. Wind Tunnels • American Wind Tunnel Pioneer • After the Wright Brothers • Hugo Mattullath $$ • Albert Zahm, researcher • Catholic University, Washington, D.C. • Closed 1908

  18. Wind Tunnels • European Researchers • Riabouchinsky • Eiffel • Prandtl • National Physical Laboratory (England)

  19. Wind Tunnels • America picks up the pace (circa WWI) • Zahm (again), Navy • Durand, Stanford Univ. • Hugh Dryden, National Bureau of Standards • National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics

  20. Wind Tunnels • NACA • National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics • Committee member: Orville Wright • First facility, Langley

  21. Wind Tunnels • NACA grows • Wind tunnel complex built at Langley • Tunnels get larger • Airspeeds get faster • Testing becomes more specialized

  22. Wind Tunnels • Basic Parts of a Modern Wind Tunnel • Settling Chamber • Contraction cone • Test section • Diffuser • Drive section

  23. Wind Tunnels • Types • Open-loop • Closed-loop • Subsonic • Transonic • Supersonic • Hypersonic • Refrigerated • Full-sized • Scale-sized

  24. NASA NACA evolves into NASA

  25. NASA • Langley Research Center • Tests conducted include airfoils, vertical takeoff, spinning/tumbling situations and the effects of wind gusts on aircraft • Thirty tunnel systems • Aerothermodynamic • Subsonic • Transonic • Supersonic • Hypersonic

  26. NASA • Ames Research Center • Tests conducted on a wide variety of aircraft, spacecraft and other vehicles, as well as structures • Three tunnel systems • National Full Scale Aerodynamic Facility (40x80x120) • 12 ft. Pressure Wind Tunnel • Unitary Tunnels

  27. NASA • Glenn Research Center • Five tunnel systems • Supersonic • Transonic • Low speed tunnel • Icing tunnel • Tests conducted include nozzles, rocket applications, jet engines and aircraft icing conditions

  28. NASA One hundred years of aviation...

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