National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF)

 

National Wind Tunnel Facility Fan

The National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF) was established in 1999 at IIT Kanpur, India, to meet the national needs in areas of aeronautical and non-aeronautical R&D activities. The NWTF is a closed-return, continuous, atmospheric wind tunnel equipped with several auxiliary systems for different testing needs. The test section of NWTF is 2.25m high, 3m wide and 8.75m long and is split into two parts; an upstream (5.75m) and a downstream (3m) part. Air speed up-to 80m/s in the test section is produced by a single-stage 12-bladed axial-flow fan powered by a 1000kW variable speed DC motor. Four fine mesh screens placed downstream of the honeycomb and upstream of a 9:1 contraction ensure a flow of exceptionally low turbulence  (u’/U<0.08%). 

Important features of NWTF

1. String type model support system with five independent motions 
2. Turntable systems for aerospace and non aerospace applications
3. Laser light sheet generation system for flow visualization 
4. 3D Stereoscopic PIV system 
5. Hot wire anemometry 

Special Capabilities of NWTF 

1. Full model testing with sting support system 
2. Half model testing with external balance 
3. Two-dimensional model testing using turntables 
4. Gust and cross wind simulation 
5. Aero-acoustic testing 
6. Engine intake studies using suction mass flow system 
7. Can be configured as open jet facility

National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF), IIT Kanpur

Wind tunnel test section

Wind tunnel test section (Year-2020)

NWTF, IIT Kanpur (Year-2020)

Piper PA-32R

Piper Sarotoga II HP (registration: VT-ETL) at IIT Kanpur Flight Laboratory Hangar

The Piper PA-32R is a six or seven seat high-performance, single engine, all-metal, fixed-wing aircraft produced by Piper Aircraft, Vero Beach, Florida, USA. The aircraft is powered by a single Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D 6 cylinder, direct drive, horizontally opposed, air cooled engine. The aircraft is used for personal use, air taxi & freight aircraft. The landing gears are retractable. The early production version of Piper PA-32R are known as Piper Lance, while later models as shown in this blog images are known as Piper Saratoga. Saratoga models provided improved avionics, engine and interior touches but retained the same airframe design. Production of the Saratoga was discontinued in 2009. The PA-32R was built under license by Embraer in Brazil as the Embraer EMB-721 Sertanejo.

Inside the Cockpit

Cockpit Instruments 

Inside the aircraft

Performing Flight Mechanics related experiments with the aircraft

IIT Kanpur Flight Laboratory Hangar (Year-2020)

Pipistrel Sinus

The above image is of a Pipistrel Sinus 912 glider (Registration:-VT-GII) in the IIT Kanpur Flight Laboratory hangar (Year-2020)

The Pipistrel Sinus is a two-seat, single-engine, ultralight, cantilever monoplane motor glider. The wing and fuselage were designed by the Italian aerodynamicist Franco Orlando. It has good short take-off and landing (STOL) characteristics and it can be equipped with a full airframe emergency recovery parachute system. The first flight of the prototype took place on October 16, 1996. It is constructed using composite materials. The Pipistrel Sinus comes with either nose-wheel or taildragger landing gear configuration. The aircraft is built by Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer 'Pipistrel'. Its facilities are located in Slovenia and Italy. In April 2022, the company was purchased by Textron.

General Characteristics (as in Pipistrel Company Website)

1. Wing Span- 14.97 m
2. Length- 6.6 m
3. Height- 1.70 m
4. Wing Area- 12.26 m^2
5. Aspect Ratio- 18.3
6. Service Ceiling- 8800 m
7. Endurance (standard tanks)- 5.8 hours (348 minute)
8. Range distance- 1200 km
9. take off run- 88 m
10. take off run over 15 m obstacle- 148 m
11. Powerplant- Rotax 912 UL2 

Meaning of dimensions mentioned in this article:- 1 inch = 0.0254 m; 1 foot = 0.3048 m; 1 inch = 0.0833333 foot; 1 pound = 0.453592 kg; 1 nautical miles (nm) = 1.852 km

Pipistrel Sinus 912 glider at IIT Kanpur flight laboratory hangar (Year-2020)

Glider

Cessna 206H

 

Myself with Cessna 206H at IIT Kanpur Flight Laboratory Hangar (Year-2020)

The Cessna 206H is a single-engine, general aviation aircraft with three fixed landing gear having an ability to carry maximum 6 passengers. The Cessna 206H is powered by a Lycoming IO-540-AC1A powerplant while the turbocharged T206H is powered by a Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A engine. Production of the 206H ended in 2013 with a total of 369 being produced. An improved version of the T206H known as the Turbo Stationair HD was introduced in July 2016 with gross weight increased by 189 lb (86 kg). As of 2023, the T206H Turbo Stationair HD is the only model still in production, with 1,264 being built as of 2017. The Cessna 206H aircraft has a pilot entry door and a rear double clamshell door for access to the middle and back seats. The Cessna 206H can operate from remote, undeveloped airfields without the aid of expensive ground facilities. Hence Cessna 206H falls under the category of bush planes.

The high wings of Cessna 206H allows ease loading and unloading of both passengers and cargo from the cockpit. Another advantage of high wing design is that it gives pilot in the cockpit, a good downward visibility during landing and take-off of the aircraft which reduces chances of aircraft accidently encountering any obstacle in the ground. Cessna 206H is equipped with a lift strut. On a high-wing aircraft, a lift strut connects an outboard point on the wing with a point lower on the fuselage to form a rigid triangular structure. While in flight the strut acts in tension to carry wing lift to the fuselage and hold the wing level, while when back on the ground it acts in compression to hold the wing up. For aircraft of moderate engine power and speed, lift struts represent a compromise between the high drag of a fully cross-braced structure and the high weight of a fully cantilevered wing.

The aircraft is popular with air charter companies and small cargo air carriers, and is operated by private individuals and companies. The Cessna 206 aircraft is also operated by military of  USA , Paraguaya , Pakistan, Uruguay, Venezuela, Guyana.

General characteristics for Cessna Turbo Stationair HD 

1. Length-28 ft 3 in (8.6 m)
2. Height-9 ft 4 in (2.8 m)
3. Width- 1.08 m
4. Wingspan-36 ft (10.97 m)
5. Wing Area-174 sq ft (16.17 sq m)
6. Maximum Takeoff Weight-3,789 lb (1,719 kg)
7. Maximum Landing Weight-3,600 lb (1,633 kg)
8. Maximum Payload-1,235 lb (560 kg)
9. Maximum Range-703 nm (1,302 km)
10. Service Ceiling-26,000 ft (7,925 m)
11. Maximum Cruise Speed-161 ktas (298 km/h)
12. Take off Distance- 600 m
13. Ground roll- 323 m
14. Landing Distance- 425 m
15. Ground Roll- 224 m

Meaning of dimensions mentioned in this article:- 1 inch = 0.0254 m; 1 foot = 0.3048 m; 1 inch = 0.0833333 foot; 1 pound = 0.453592 kg; 1 nautical miles (nm) = 1.852 km

The takeoff distance consists of two parts, the ground run, and the distance from where the vehicle leaves the ground to until it reaches 50 ft (or 15 m). The sum of these two distances is considered the takeoff distance.

KTAS:- Knots True Airspeed/True Airspeed (TAS) of an aircraft is the speed of the aircraft relative to the air mass through which it is flying.

IIT Kanpur Airport (Year-2020)

Cessna 206H (registration:-VT-IIT) at the IIT Kanpur Airfield apron