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SESSION 8 - Ensuring mission readiness; maximizing infrastructure and personnel resources (3)
Mr E Allen Arrington, Engineering Manager / Sierra Lobo, Inc.
SESSION 8 - NASA Glenn Research Center - Aerodynamic Testing Capabilities of the NASA Glenn 10- by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel
The 10x10 SWT at NASA Glenn is currently the largest supersonic wind tunnel within the agency. While it was designed to provide testing of propulsion systems, the 10x10 is also fully capable of supporting other test types, including aerodynamic testing such as force and moment testing. The aerodynamic testing capabilities of the 10x10 SWT are often overlooked or even discounted due to the belief that the facility is only for propulsion testing. Over the past 20 years, there have been several flow quality tests conducted in the 10x10 SWT that indicate the facility has excellent flow characteristics and can support aerodynamic testing. These tests include transition cone studies, PIV measurements, force and moment comparison testing to the NASA Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel and detailed calibration and flow quality surveys. A summary of these tests and the results will be presented. Other concerns that have been raised by the wind tunnel community regarding the test support systems and equipment and the experience of the 10x10 SWT test personnel in aerodynamic testing. Much of the concern is focused on an assumed lack of experience with internal strain gage balances that are integral for force and moment testing. The fact is that the test engineering staff supporting the wind tunnels at NASA Glenn are well versed in the use and calibration of balances and have successfully used balances in many test programs. The presentation will address each of these points.
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Allen Arrington biographical information: |
Allen Arrington is an aerospace engineer and engineering manager with over 22 years of experience in ground testing. He has been employed at the NASA Glenn Research Center since his graduation from West Virginia University (BSAE 1986, MSAE 1988). He has primarily worked in the wind tunnels at NASA Glenn, where he is the lead for tunnel calibration. He developed the aero-thermal calibration programs for each of the large wind tunnels. Mr. Arrington has authored over 20 technical papers on wind tunnel calibration and flow quality testing. Currently, Mr. Arrington is an Engineering Manager with Sierra Lobo, Inc. on the TFOME contract at NASA Glenn. As a manager, he has had responsibility for over 40 test engineers who are leading test projects in a variety of ground test facilities. One of the key management roles is the development of the engineering staff. Mr. Arrington works with the younger engineers to develop key technical and project management skills. He has developed a project management course specifically for the ground test projects at NASA Glenn. Mr. Arrington is also very active in the America Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). He is a long-time participant with the AIAA Ground Testing Technical Committee (GTTC), and served as chair of the GTTC. In addition, he has been very involved with the ground testing standards documents developed by the GTTC. He organized and chaired the Wind Tunnel Calibration Working Group, was secretary of the Strain-Gage Balances Working Group and a contributing author on both the Test Processes and Test Nomenclature Working Groups. Each of these working groups developed AIAA standards documents on their specific subject. Currently Mr. Arrington serves as Director of the Engineering and Technology Management Group within the Technical Activities Committee of AIAA. |
