Wind tunnels are used to measure aerodynamic forces in a laboratory setting. The size and shape of the wind tunnel will be different depending on what forces it can measure and how fast the wind velocity will be. You will be using a wind tunnel to measure drag on a car design.
DAYTON, Ohio — Wright Brothers 1901 Wind Tunnel on display in the Early Years Gallery at the National Museum of the Air Force
LANGLEY, Virginia — Testing the Boeing Aerodynamic Efficiency Improvement Joined Wing Wind Tunnel Model in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at NASA Langley.
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tennessee — The von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility uses wind tunnels to create aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic databases to develop supersonic and hypersonic flight vehicles.
Wind tunnels aren’t just for testing airplanes. Car manufacturers use wind tunnels to the aerodynamics of a vehicle design. A more aerodynamic design will have better gas mileage. World class athletes also use wind tunnels to optimize their performance.
Watch some of the videos below to see wind tunnels in action.