Sat, Oct 21, 2017
Will Continue To Use The U.K. Facility Through At Least 2024
Boeing has renewed its commitment to evaluating its aircraft designs in QinetiQ’s five-meter (approx. 16.5 feet) wind tunnel in Farnborough, Hampshire, U.K.
The £25 million (approx. $33 million) contract has been awarded under an existing 40-year agreement that began in 2004 and is reviewed every five years. The latest extension will see Boeing continue to use the facility for its commercial aircraft testing until at least 2024.
The wind tunnel’s large size and ability to run at a pressure of up to three atmospheres provide high quality data that can accurately predict an aircraft’s performance at full scale. This helps improve efficiency during landing and take-off, which is of critical importance for both military and civil aircraft.
In 2016, the wind tunnel benefitted from $2.6 million in government and industry funding for a project to apply electric motor technology to the scale models tested in the facility, to represent the effect of real engines. The upgrade improves manufacturers’ understanding of the airflow around the engines, helping them to further refine their designs.
“The wind tunnel, which marks its 40th anniversary this year, has played a crucial role in the development of modern advanced aircraft such as Boeing’s 787 and 777X," said John Anderson, Managing Director Air & Space, QinetiQ. "This continuation of our partnership with Boeing reaffirms the wind tunnel’s position as a vital national asset, enabling this important work to be carried out right here in the UK. It also shows that QinetiQ is delivering on its strategy to ensure the UK has the test and evaluation facilities and skills needed to maintain its competitive advantage."
(Source: QinetiQ news release. Image from file)
More News
Touchdown Zone Lighting Two rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline normally at 100 foot intervals. The basic system extends 3,000 feet alon>[...]
“Discovery and innovation are central to our mission at Virgin Galactic. We’re excited to build on our successful record of facilitating scientific experiments in subor>[...]
"We are reaching out to you today on behalf of the Popular Rotorcraft Association because we need your help. We are dangerously close to losing a critical resource that if lost, wi>[...]
UAS Traffic Management (UTM) The unmanned aircraft traffic management ecosystem that will allow multiple low altitude BVLOS operations and which is separate from, but complementary>[...]
Aero Linx: Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) SAFE is a member-oriented organization of aviation educators fostering professionalism and excellence in aviation through>[...]