Aerodynamics and Windtunnel

This is the largest section of 122point8, covering everything from hands-on wind tunnel construction to NASA-scale aerodynamic testing facilities. The centerpiece is a seven-part series documenting the design and build of a homemade low-speed wind tunnel — from the test chamber and diffuser through the concentrator, measuring station, and Arduino-based data acquisition, culminating in airfoil experiments measuring lift and drag on different wing profiles. You’ll also find coverage of UCLA’s E96A aerospace engineering course, where students designed, built, and flight-tested gliders and powered aircraft over an intensive three-week program. Other posts explore real-world aerodynamic phenomena like wing icing on a Boeing 757 during approach into SFO, and a visit to NASA’s National Full-Scale Aerodynamic Complex at Moffett Field — the massive 40-by-80-foot and 80-by-120-foot wind tunnels that tested everything from the Space Shuttle to the V-22 Osprey.