https://aviationweek.com/themes/custom/particle/dist/app-drupal/assets/awn-logo.svg
Skip to main content
  • Market Sector
    • Aerospace
    • Air Transport
    • MRO
    • Defense
    • Space
    • Business Aviation
  • Markets
    • Aerospace
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Connected Aerospace
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Manufacturing & Supply Chain
      • Advanced Air Mobility
      • Sustainability
    • Air Transport
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports & Networks
      • Airlines & Lessors
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
      • Sustainability
    • MRO
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Supply Chain
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Workforce & Training
      • Sustainability
    • Defense
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Sensors & Electronic Warfare
      • Missile Defense & Weapons
      • Supply Chain
      • Budget, Policy & Operations
      • Sustainability
    • Space
      • Launch Vehicles & Propulsion
      • Commercial Space
      • Space Exploration
      • Satellites
      • Budget, Policy & Regulation
      • Operations & Safety
    • Business Aviation
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports, FBOs & Suppliers
      • Flight Deck
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
      • Sustainability
  • Marketplace
  • Services
    • Services
      • Advertising
      • Marketing Services
      • Fleet, Data & APIs
      • Research & Consulting
      • Network and Route Planning
      • Marketplace
  • Store
    • Market Sector

      • Aerospace
      • Air Transport
      • MRO
      • Defense
      • Space
      • Business Aviation
    • Type View All Products
      • Intelligence Bundles
        • AWIN - Premium
        • AWIN - Aerospace and Defense
        • AWIN - Business Aviation
        • AWIN - Commercial Aviation
      • Market Briefings
        • Advanced Air Mobility Report
        • Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
        • Aviation Daily
        • SpeedNews
        • The Weekly of Business Aviation
      • Directories
        • Air Charter Guide
        • Aviation Week Marketplace
        • Route Exchange
        • The Engine Yearbook
      • Data Services
        • AC-U-KWIK
        • Aircraft Bluebook
        • Airportdata.com
        • Airport Strategy and Marketing (ASM)
        • CAPA – Centre for Aviation
        • Fleet Discovery Civil
        • Fleet Discovery Military
        • Fleet & MRO Forecast
        • MRO Prospector
      • Publications
        • Air Transport World
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology - Inside MRO
        • Business & Commercial Aviation
        • CAPA - Airline Leader
        • Routes magazine
        • ShowNews
      • Resources
        • Downloadable Reports
  • Events
    • Recent webinars
    • Events View All Events
      • MRO
        • MRO Americas
        • MRO Asia
        • MRO Australasia
        • MRO Baltics & Eastern Europe Region
        • MRO Europe
        • MRO Greater China
        • MRO Latin America
        • MRO Middle East
        • MRO Southeast Asia
        • MRO Systems Integration Symposium
        • Military Aviation Logistics and Maintenance Symposium (MALMS)
      • Commercial Aviation/A&D
        • Aero-Engines Americas
        • Aero-Engines Europe
        • Aero-Engines Asia-Pacific
        • Engine Leasing Trading & Finance Europe
        • Engine Leasing, Trading & Finance Americas
      • Air Transport
        • Routes Americas
        • Routes Europe
        • Routes World
        • CAPA Airline Leader Summit - Airlines in Transition
        • CAPA Airline Leader Summit - Americas
        • CAPA Airline Leader Summit - Latin America & Caribbean
        • CAPA Airline Leader Summit - Australia Pacific
        • CAPA Airline Leader Summit - Asia & Sustainability Awards
        • CAPA Airline Leader Summit - World & Awards for Excellence
        • GAD Americas
        • GAD World
      • Aerospace and Defense
        • A&D Mergers and Acquisitions Conference (ADMA)
        • A&D Manufacturing Conference
        • Aerospace Raw Materials & Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference (RMC)
        • A&D Programs
      • Awards
        • Aviation Week 20 Twenties
        • Aviation Week Laureate Awards
        • ATW Airline Awards
        • Program Excellence Awards and Banquet
        • CAPA Asia Aviation Summit & Awards for Excellence
  • About
    • About Aviation Week Network
      • Our Story
      • Content and Data Team
      • Aviation Week & Space Technology 100-Year
    • Contact Us
      • Subscriber Services
      • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
      • Content Sales
      • Events
      • PR & Communications
      • Content Licensing and Reprints
      • FAQ
  • Log In
  • Register
  • My Account
    • Profile
    • Sign Out
  • AWIN Access
  • My cart
    Back to
  1. Aerospace

Share

French Aerospace Research Center Overhauls Wind Tunnels

Thierry Dubois October 25, 2017
Credit: Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

Some critical wind tunnels for Europe’s aerospace industry are located in Modane, in the French Alps.

Credit: Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

The hypersonic S4 wind tunnel was instrumental in developing MBDA’s Meteor air-to-air missile.

Credit: Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

Marianne Lyonnet is the director of Onera’s Modane facility.

Credit: Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

Power for the wind tunnels is generated by water turbines, thanks to a pipeline carrying water from lakes 800 m (0.5 mi.) higher in the Alps.

Credit: Onera

To stop subsidence underneath the S1 wind tunnel, the French government has funded extensive infrastructure work.

Credit: Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

Onera is putting the finishing touches on the new fan in its S1 transonic wind tunnel.

Credit: Onera

Work on the fans at the S1 wind tunnel included replacing the massive hubs.

Credit: Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

One day of testing in the transonic S1 wind tunnel, which typically accommodates 13-ft.-span models, is priced at around €100,000 ($117,000).

Credit: Onera

Safran tested its contrarotating open-rotor engine in the transonic S1 wind tunnel.

Previous
Next

Since the early 1950s, France has used wind tunnels that the Nazis had started building for weapon development. The facility in Modane has proven essential to developing commercial and military aircraft since World War II. French aerospace research center Onera now hopes tremendous ongoing upgrades will help its wind tunnels remain fit for complex testing exercises for decades to come. Read more about the wind tunnels and their renovation: French Wind Tunnels Get Long-Sought Upgrades

Thierry Dubois

Thierry Dubois has specialized in aerospace journalism since 1997. An engineer in fluid dynamics from Toulouse-based Enseeiht, he covers the French commercial aviation, defense and space industries. His expertise extends to all things technology in Europe. Thierry is also the editor-in-chief of Aviation Week’s ShowNews. 

Aviation Week Intelligence Network
Monitor the market and connect your business to the people, programs and proprietary data driving the Aerospace & Defense market - only available with AWIN.

ASD_AWIN_thumbnail_270

Stay Connected.
Stay Informed
Grow Your Business.

Learn How

Follow us on

Markets

  • Aerospace
  • Air Transport
  • MRO
  • Defense
  • Space
  • Business Aviation

Products

  • AWIN Intelligence Bundles
  • Market Briefings
  • Publications
  • Data Services
  • Directories
  • Resources

Contact Us

  • Subscriber Services
  • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
  • Content Sales
  • Events
  • PR & Communications
  • Content Licensing and Reprints
  • FAQ

Other Resources

  • Aviation Week Marketplace
  • Knowledge Center
  • Newsletters
  • ShowNews
  • Advertising - Media Kits
  • Japanese 日本語
  • Korean 한국인
Copyright © 2025. All rights reserved. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC.
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use