land-speed
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Wind tunnel

To: "landspeedracer" <landspeedracer@msn.com>
Subject: Wind tunnel
From: Malcolm Pittwood <MPittwood@compuserve.com>
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 14:37:14 -0500
John and list

On this side of the Atlantic speed racers have used University and
commercial tunnels with models and full sized vehicles.  This has been
possible because of the need for students to have projects to work on for
graduation year reports on model tests and for the commercial facilities to
have additional test data and the publicity of helping LSR projects. 

The main concern with the full size tunnels is having someone experienced
to plan the range of tests (ride height changes, yaw, appendages, etc to
make use of the time allowed) and to interprete the amount of data from the
computers connected to the balance.  Also, unless you have a vehicle where
you can change the body the results obtained couild be bad news rather than
good.
 
Of course Thrust SSC went one better and used the rocket sled to gather
real high speed data at a Government test facility using strain gauges and
film for analysis.

Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England

ps To my knowledge none of the Formula 1 team's tunnels are available which
is a shame as they have moving ground planes (high speed belts) to mimic
the ground effect.

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