French Aerospace Research Center Overhauls Wind Tunnels

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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).

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