French Aerospace Research Center Overhauls Wind Tunnels

Thierry Dubois
Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

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

Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

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

Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

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

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.

Onera

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

Thierry Dubois/AW&ST

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

Onera

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

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).

Onera

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

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 covers French aerospace for Aviation Week & Space Technology.

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