Experimental Aerodynamics (ExpAERO) Project

Aeroplanes fly through air that is moving in ways engineers still do not fully understand. The ExpAERO project will generate detailed experimental data on the airflow over transonic wings—wings designed to operate near the speed of sound—in specific areas where such measurements are currently missing. This matters because the design methods Airbus uses to shape its wings rely on computer models that need accurate real-world data to be reliable. Without that data, engineers must make assumptions that can lead to less efficient or heavier wing designs. The project will be based in Bristol and Bedford, and its findings will feed directly into Airbus’s wing design process. If successful, the research could lead to wings that produce less drag, burn less fuel, and generate less noise. That would reduce operating costs for airlines and lower carbon emissions from air travel—a system that quietly moves people and goods around the planet every day. This is applied aerodynamics with a clear industrial endpoint, not fundamental science.