The University, which recently opened its new £100 million Science, Physics, Engineering and Computer Science building – Spectra – has also invested in the latest flight simulators and testing equipment. Academics say the new facilities place Herts at the forefront of institutions offering aerospace and automotive engineering in the UK.
“Wind tunnels are a tool to investigate the aerodynamics from airflow across a scale model. They allow students to test the forces present on their aircraft design and its performance,” says Peter Thomas, principal lecturer in aerospace engineering.
“We are replacing an old wind tunnel which was harder to maintain with a brand new one, as well as having other additional wind tunnels including a new, updated supersonic wind tunnel.
“We have new, industry-standard flight simulators, and are currently installing a new bespoke high-speed impact tester that can conduct impact tests and measure the effect of these – for example, modelling ice, hail and even bird strikes. It is not common to find this kind of equipment in academia so we are very pleased to have it.”
The subsonic wind tunnel (pictured) is a significant size with a 100 square metres footprint, and completely filling its space.
“The tunnel design is state of the art in that, for its footprint, it has a larger test section than is normally possible with a conventional design”, Peter Thomas adds.
Matt Goodro, principal lecturer in engineering and technology, says the new facilities will greatly enhance the range of capabilities his students can learn from.
“The subsonic wind tunnel has a greatly expanded test section which is unusual for teaching purposes. We will be installing a rolling road treadmill for testing vehicles inside the tunnel to measure how they perform which enhances our automotive capabilities.”
Matt came to Herts from the US having worked in the defence industry among other specialised fields. His technical background means he is especially suited for incorporating technological aspects such as robotics and electronics into the teaching programme.
“My passion is for teaching, and the range of tests and projects I can set students here really extends what they can do.
“One completely new element is how we will be using augmented reality inside a Cessna flight simulator cockpit to collect data about how a pilot reacts and studying the ergonomics of flying an aircraft.
“We will also be able to fly aircraft that do not exist at all, from purely theoretical designs, and we have even taken designs from the 1930s that were never built to model how those might perform.”
Matt says that Herts has around 450 students - mainly undergraduates - on its aerospace engineering courses.
Among them is Buvan Seepal who comes from Woolwich, South London and is doing his placement year in Stevenage with worldwide systems firm MBDA Missile Systems, as part of a four-year B.Eng in aerospace engineering with pilot studies.
“Originally I wanted to be a pilot, but flying school is so expensive and I realised I can actually do it here at Herts as part of my course, gaining transferable knowledge and skills.”
Buvan attended Woolwich Poly in Thamesmead doing maths, geography and physics before coming to Herts after attending an open day.
“I love how green the campus is and the quality of the facilities here. The new facilities will be even better and I’m really looking forward to using them in my final year.
“Some of the lecturers here are former pilots and there’s flight testing too, so plenty to get excited about.
“I’m interested in becoming a flight test engineer. My placement is more systems engineering related, but it has given me some new skills. I am interested by materials, and the stresses and strains on the plane, its breakability, wing tests and degrees of bend – relatable things to my A-level physics.”
George Sapcaliu, who comes from Harlow is now in his final year at Herts doing aerospace engineering with pilot studies.
He was drawn to study at the University by word-of-mouth feedback.
“I had heard about the course from other students and from my teachers who gave unanimously positive feedback, and I came and saw how modern the accommodation is. That influenced me because I didn’t want to have to commute into London.
“We’ve just taken delivery of three new flight simulators that enables us to conduct manoeuvres and compile flight reports. I like doing practical testing to see how our design assumptions perform when tested with different air pressures, so the new supersonic wind tunnel will be a huge asset.”
George says the University’s equipment allows him to ‘fly’ anywhere in the UK in any kind of commercial or fighter aircraft.
“I’ve found fluids and aerodynamics modelling is interesting, because it draws on maths skills that help you understand about vortexes, air pressure and how a plane actually flies.
“I loaded up a 747 programme to fly around the whole UK and found it would take 13 hours to complete.”
Carl Roberts from Warwickshire is a student who spent his first 19 years living in South Africa before coming to the UK as an international student.
“I decided during my final year of high school that I wanted to go into engineering, specifically relating to aviation, and I knew the best opportunities for me would be in the UK.
“This led me to finding the best universities in the UK for aerospace engineering and I applied to Herts as a first choice.
“I was curious to know if I could fly a simulation all the way back to Johannesburg. I loaded up the simulation programme and found I could do that.
“I think that is what appeals to me most, flying – testing and designing a programme – then comparing how a flight compares to the test data model we prepare.”
Carl, in his third year at Herts, says he is thinking about what to do next, and expects to stay in the UK. He is focussing on applying to graduate roles that relate to systems or testing of aircraft, while also looking at completing his private pilot license within the next year.
Peter Thomas says that although the main benefit of the state-of-the-art facilities is for university teaching and research, businesses have also expressed an interest in them.
“We have already had outside firms express interest in the new facilities. Hertfordshire is home to many companies operating in the aerospace industry, and our proximity to London and the south east of England is a strong magnet for attracting potential research partners, collaborators and possible facility-sharing arrangements. As our suite of facilities takes shape that is only likely to become stronger.”
