Testing

WTTC opens upsized wind blade test facility
The Wind Technology Testing Center (WTTC, Boston, Mass.) opened its $35 million+ wind blade testing facility on May 18, 2011, the only lab in the U.S. that can test blades up to 90m/295-ft long.

Structural health monitoring: Angling for the air
Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems for composite aerostructures have been slow to deliver on their promise, but a system developed by Luna Technologies (Roanoke, Va.) is on a glide path to implementation on in-service aircraft

Composite propeller for Royal Navy minehunter
Composite-for-metal replacement brings multiple benefits.

Upsizing blade test regimes
As composite rotor blade size grows, research groups act to meet the urgent need for physical testing facilities with large-blade capacity.