Collins Aerospace breaks ground on new wind tunnel. Photo: Collins AerospaceUS-based
Collins Aerospace has begun the contruction of a new wind tunnel that will help streamline the testing process for its Ram Air Turbine product line at the company’s Electric Power Systems centre of excellence located in Illinois.
Designed to be at the heart of an aircraft’s emergency power system, Collins’ Ram Air Turbine deploys from the wing or fuselage when a plane loses power in flight. By rotating its small turbine, the system extracts sufficient power from the airstream to allow the pilot to control and land the aircraft safely.
With fully automated, ‘state of the art’ technology and greater quality controls, the new wind tunnel will streamline the Ram Air Turbine testing process, while also improving staff safety. To simulate the environment of an in-flight power loss, the tunnel will use a powerful fan to create a windspeed of up to 170 knots. It will have the ability to test Ram Air Turbines of all sizes for business, regional, single aisle, widebody and military platforms.
Stan Kottke, Collins Aerospace vice president (electric power systems), said: “By helping pilots land planes safely after losing power in flight, Collins’ Ram Air Turbines have saved more than 2,000 lives to date.
“It is a critical product and one that we will now be able to produce faster for our customers and more safely for our employees once our new wind tunnel becomes operational in the summer of 2022.
“At the same time, this US$18 million investment represents our continued commitment to investing in our Rockford facility and maintaining its world-class capabilities for the long term.”