AEROSPACE, the Royal Aeronautical Society's monthly magazine, has published a letter from the ARA CEO, Mr Paul Hutchings in the May 2022 Issue (Volume 49 Number 5). Please use the links below to see the Editorial and the published letter:
Aircraft Research Association is pleased to announce that it has been working closely with AERALIS to assist in the aerodynamic design of their proposed advanced jet trainer aircraft. ARA's work has involved the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation of the airframe helping to optimise performance in the transonic flight regime (i.e. when the aircraft is travelling around the speed of sound). This flight regime is always very challenging and is an area that ARA specialises in, both computationally and experimentally.
ARA has produced high quality CFD results allowing insights to be gained by AERALIS with respect to how the flow develops as the aircraft accelerates. Insights have also been given as to where there might be aerodynamic features which can be improved by detailed design changes. AERALIS and ARA have worked closely together along with other AERALIS partners to develop the aircraft shape to ensure it meets its performance requirements.
We are happy to share progress on the Clean Sky 2 funded SUBLIME project investigating Boundary Layer Ingesting (BLI) propulsion installations. This video is a preview of the forthcoming transonic wind tunnel test campaigns showing the ARA designed & manufactured wind tunnel model. We have taken advantage of additive manufacturing techniques to integrate instrumentation channels into the nacelles and ejector enabling compact components with reduced part count.
As you come in to ARA you will hopefully notice that we have planted 20 cherry trees along the sports field / ARA perimeter. This is part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative for her 70 years on the throne and part of our Sustainability Plan. This is also to mark ARA’s 70th Anniversary occasion this year.
In support of the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal, Paul Hutchings (ARA CEO), made a commitment that ARA would donate £10,000 to the appeal plus another £2 for every £1 donated by ARA employees. From the 140 employees at ARA there was a combined total donation of just under £3,000. Therefore, ARA has donated a total of £16,000 as a company donation and nearly £19,000 in total from ARA and it's employees.
On the 28th March ARA CEO Paul Hutchings was interviewed on the Roberto Perrone show on BBC 3-Counties Radio, discussing the impact of the rise in electricity standing charges on ARA. The interview occurs at approximately 3hrs 49mins, link to BBC Sounds:
During the recent ANACO (Advance Nacelle Aerodynamic Optimisation) test entry, ARA deployed Particle Image Velocimetry to measure the boundary layer characteristics over the surface of an engine nacelle model. This technique will be used to help validate CFD simulations and to assess boundary layer profiles through a non-intrusive means. This test represents one further step in the development roadmap for high-quality PIV measurements for use within the industrial setting of the ARA Transonic Wind Tunnel. ARA is committed to the ongoing development of high-quality, modern test techniques. The ANACO project has received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 820997. For further information please contact business@ara.co.uk.
The ANACO (Advance Nacelle Aerodynamic Optimisation) consortium of ARA Ltd (coordinator) and Cranfield University (partner) with Rolls-Royce as topic manager is pleased to announce the successful completion of the main test entry in the ARA Transonic Wind Tunnel (TWT). This testing comprised detailed drag measurements coupled with discrete surface pressure and shear stress measurements, Pressure-Sensitive Paint (PSP), and culminated in the first deployment of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) for boundary layer measurement in the TWT. Over the course of the test entry, the drag and surface pressure characteristics of 4 different nacelle geometries were investigated. This generated a large database which will be used to validate CFD and related design tools developed within the programme by Cranfield University. ARA wishes to thank the consortium for their efforts during the test entry and looks forward to continued collaboration for the data analysis and dissemination stages.
