Corporate Communications:

Press Releases (recent first):

Sep 22, 2023: Key enabler for tomorrow's aviation
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Energy-efficient flying is the robust key to climate-neutral aviation. Read more ...

Aug 24, 2023: Onboarding the next generation of ETW’s Management
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
ETW introduces its next generation of Managers. Stuart GATES (as Manager Aerodynamics & Testing) and Peter GUNTERMANN and Andreas KLÖCKNER (jointly as Manager Operations & Administration) will support Guido DIETZ (as Managing Director) in steering ETW into the future of sustainable aviation. Read more ...

May 5, 2023: Joint Research for the Aircraft of Tomorrow
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
German high-speed stall research to make future commercial aircraft even more efficient. Read more ...

Mar 7, 2023: Spectacular RIMOWA Pilot Case Commercial
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Renowned director Albert Moya filmed at ETW Read more ...

Jan 17, 2023: Saddened by Death of Martin C.N. WRIGHT
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Obituary Read more ...

Sep 8, 2022: Saddened by Death of HM Queen Elizabeth II
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
ETW Pays Tribute to Her Unwavering, Life-long Dedication Read more ...

Jun 22, 2022: LuFo V-3 LoCaRe
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Localisation and Characterisation of Flight Relevant Noise Sources on High Lift Systems Read more ...

Jun 8, 2022: Die größten Windkanäle Europas
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Die drei größten und leistungsfähigsten Windkanäle Europas stehen in den Niederlanden, in Frankreich und Deutschland. Read more ...

Jun 18, 2021: Noise on Air­craft Wings
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
ETW aims to localise sources of noise that occur during take-off and landing, piggyback to high-lift performance testing. Read more ...

Feb 23, 2021: The Beauty of ETW's Facility
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
A photographer's view on ETW may be a bit different to the technician's one. Read more ...

Dec 28, 2020: Disinfected Air for Aircraft Development
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
UVC-light disinfection installed in ETW's building ventilation systems. Read more ...

Nov 4, 2020: 1st Full-Model Test of a Remote Control Aileron at Cryo-Conditions
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
Enabling handling-quality testing at true flight conditions. Read more ...

Sep 29, 2020: ATAG Analysis Details Aviation Climate Pathways
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Despite the immense challenges from the pandemic, aviation industry is united in the ambition for a green recovery. Read more ...

Apr 2, 2020: Clean Sky´s BinCola – It´s the real thing
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
Laminar testing at flight-relevant conditions and high productivity. Read more ...

Jan 13, 2020: Strömungsphänomenen auf der Spur
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
In einem gemeinsamen Projekt wollen Forscherinnen und Forscher mehrerer Hochschulen und des Deutschen Zentrums für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) Flugzeuge an ihre aerodynamischen Grenzen bringen. Das soll das Fliegen zukünftig nachhaltiger machen. Read more ...

Jan 2, 2020: A Game-Changing Metal
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
A metal with the ability to alter its shape. Read more ...

Dec 16, 2019: Flying at the limits
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
The DFG, DLR and the Helmholtz Association enable cutting-edge research for sustainable aviation. Read more ...

Dec 16, 2019: Sustainable flying to the limits
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
New DFG research group headed by the University of Stuttgart aims to predict aircraft aerodynamics at high speeds more accurately. Read more ...

May 28, 2018: CEAS Aeronautical Journal Special Issue
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
Scientific Access to the European Strategic Wind Tunnels Read more ...

Apr 25, 2018: BLADE - Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
showcased by Airbus at ILA 2018 air show. Read more ...

Jan 24, 2018: Boeing Performance & Innovation Award
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
German LuFo Partners Deharde & ETW Gain the Boeing Performance & Innovation Award. Read more ...

Sep 15, 2016: Setting the scene for the next decade
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
ETW has now been fully operational for more than two decades and during this period the capabilities and test techniques have been continuously and rigorously developed to match customer requirements. Read more ...

Sep 1, 2016: Wind tunnels in Cologne (in German)
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Read more ...

Dec 2, 2015: JTI CleanSky: High Speed Wind Tunnel Test of a Laminar Wing Bizjet
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
ETW has been used within EU's Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) CleanSky aiming for robust laminar wing performance. Read more ...

Nov 24, 2015: JTI Clean Sky: NLF Wing High Speed Performance Test
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
ETW is used within EU's Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) Clean Sky aiming for robust laminar wing performance. Read more ...

Sep 30, 2014: Access to the World’s Leading Advanced Wind Tunnels Matters for Science
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
More than 100 scientists from 17 nations made use of the transnational access to DNW-LLF, ETW, and ONERA-S1 provided by the EU project ESWIRP. Read more ...

Aug 11, 2014: Frigate Ecojet is heading for testing close to actual flight conditions
- Category: Industrial Testing / Posted by: GD -
Read more ...

Feb 18, 2014: EU FP7 enables scientists from 10 nations to test NASA Common Research Model at ETW
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
More than 40 international researchers attend a unique wind-tunnel test. Read more ...

Feb 13, 2014: Unique wind tunnel test for slower landing approaches
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
Read more ...

Nov 21, 2013: Creative Use of Advanced Technology in Business Aviation
- Category: Industrial Testing / Posted by: GD -
Read more ...

Sep 18, 2013: High-Lift Laminar Wing Design
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
Read more ...

Jul 23, 2013: ETW is strategic for European aviation RDT&E
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Read more ...

Apr 15, 2013: FP7-ESWIRP Students Initiative
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
9 students looking forward to attend the tests of the 3 ESWIRP projects. Read more ...

Feb 6, 2013: Nacht der Technik "watch.ing"
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
On 14 June 2013, ETW will open its doors for the 4th Technology Night in Cologne. Read more ...

Feb 4, 2013: FP7-CleanSky: High-Re Laminar-Flow Testing
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
ETW is used within CleanSky aiming for robust laminar-wing performance. Read more ...

Jan 30, 2013: FP7-ESWIRP Students Initiative
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
Students invited to attend international research test performances. Read more ...

Jun 26, 2012: FP7-CleanSky: Transonic High Reynolds Number Testing of a Large Laminar Wing Half Model
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
ETW is used within CleanSky aiming for robust laminar-wing performance. Read more ...

Nov 1, 2011: CSeries tests further validate aerodynamic design & support fuel efficiency projections
- Category: Industrial Testing / Posted by: GD -
[Airbus A220 formerly known as] CSeries aircraft’s aerodynamic design Read more ...

Sep 18, 2011: Visit of German Vice Chancellor
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Read more ...

Apr 7, 2011: Visit of Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn and Minister Schulze
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
Read more ...

Jul 22, 2010: A350XWB tests revealed better take-off performance predictions
- Category: Industrial Testing / Posted by: GD -
Low-speed aerodynamic design is more reliant on windtunnel testing ... Read more ...

May 25, 2010: ETW’s new appearance
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
The new ETW web-site is launched. Read more ...

Feb 5, 2010: How do Winglets affect dynamic aeroelasticity?
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
RWTH Aachen University performs forced oscillation tests at ETW. Read more ...

Nov 20, 2009: FP7-ESWIRP
- Category: Research / Posted by: GD -
European Strategic Windtunnels Improved Research Potential Read more ...

Oct 10, 2009: Alarm for Cobra 11 - The Highway Patrol
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
TV shooting at ETW Read more ...

May 2, 2009: Aerion Supersonic Business Jet Update
- Category: Industrial Testing / Posted by: GD -
Aerion validates supersonic natural laminar-flow technology for full scale flight aerodynamic conditions at both high subsonic speeds and representative supersonic Mach numbers. Read more ...

Feb 27, 2009: ETW / NLR cooperation on Smart Cryo Wind-Tunnel Models
- Category: General / Posted by: GD -
NLR and ETW signed a cooperative agreement on advancing Smart Cryo Wind-Tunnel Models. Read more ...

 

Background

ETW - Pushes the Limits
Wind tunnels, using scaled down aircraft models, are the major source of aerodynamic design data for new aircraft projects. Wind tunnels are indispensable tools for aerodynamic research and aircraft development; they complement and validate flow simulation methods on the most powerful computers.

ETW, the European Transonic Wind Tunnel, was designed and constructed by the four European countries France, Germany, United Kingdom and The Netherlands. It is operated based on a non-profit policy by the ETW GmbH, founded in 1988. Its location in Cologne, Germany, is right in the middle of Europe.

European researchers and engineers harness ETW’s capabilities for advancing aeronautical science into aircraft innovation by accessing real-flight conditions in this cutting edge ground-test laboratory.

ETW is the worldwide leading wind tunnel for testing aircraft at real flight conditions. Aircraft performance and their flight envelope limits can be accurately determined with unique quality at ETW long before flight testing of a first prototype. This enables significant reductions in the technical and economic risks associated with the development of new aircraft. Manufacturers from all over the world take advantage of the exceptional features of this high-tech facility enhancing the performance, economic viability, and environmental friendliness of their future aircraft.

ETW – Erweitert Horizonte
Aerodynamische Entwurfsdaten für neue Flugzeugprojekte werden zu einem großen Teil aus Windkanaluntersuchungen an maßstäblich verkleinerten Flugzeugmodellen gewonnen. Windkanäle sind unverzichtbare Werkzeuge sowohl für die Strömungsforschung als auch für die Flugzeugentwicklung; sie ergänzen und validieren Verfahren zur Strömungssimulation auf modernsten Hochleistungsrechnern.

Der Europäische Transschall-Windkanal ETW ist eine transnationale Forschungseinrichtung in Köln. Er wurde von den vier Staaten Frankreich, Deutschland, Großbritannien und den Niederlanden entwickelt und gebaut. Betrieben wird er von der ETW GmbH, die als eigenständiges Non-Profit-Unternehmen 1988 gegründet wurde.

Der ETW erlaubt europäischen Forschenden und Ingenieur:innen, tatsächliche Flugzustände unter Laborbedingungen am Boden darzustellen, um wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse zu erarbeiten und in Luftfahrtinnovationen zu überführen.

Der ETW ist der weltweit führende Windkanal, in dem Luftfahrzeuge unter wirklichkeitsgetreuen Flugbedingungen getestet werden können. Lange bevor der erste Prototyp für einen Flugtest zur Verfügung steht, können im ETW die Leistungsfähigkeit und die Flugbereichsgrenzen eines Neuentwurfs genauestens und mit einzigartiger Qualität bestimmt werden. Dies reduziert erheblich die technischen und wirtschaftlichen Risiken, die mit der Entwicklung neuer Luftfahrzeuge verbunden sind. Hersteller aus aller Welt nutzen die außergewöhnlichen Möglichkeiten dieser Hightech-Einrichtung, um die Leistungsfähigkeit, die Wirtschaftlichkeit und die Umweltfreundlichkeit ihrer zukünftigen Produkte nachhaltig zu verbessern.