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From:
Reagan Cole <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Reagan Cole <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 23 Mar 2007 21:18:21 -0400
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ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Most of the "wind tunnel" exhibits I've seen are pretty lame!  The designers tend to leave out a lot of the little details that make wind tunnels useful.  The closer you get to real wind tunnels, the more you'll know!
Easily the best display of of working wind tunnels in north america is the NASA complex at Langley in Virginia. Their beautiful, antique full scale tunnel is on line at: http://www.lfst.com/  The main users these days seem to be automotive racing interersts. 
There are a few excellent source books on aerodynamics that include information about wind tunnels and tunnel design. 
My favorite is Fundamentals of Hydro and Aeromechanics by Ludwig Prandtl and O. G. Tietjens
There is a wind tunnel like exhibit at Smithsonian Air & Space that is really cool.  A model Cessna 4 seater is suspended in front of an array of 5-1/4" muffin fans and the visitor is behind the model with a set of controls.  You get  a birds eye view of an airplane in flight and a chance to fly, safely.
Now, here's the real deal:
Let you visitors free fall in a vertical updraft tunnel:  http://www.bodyflight.net/  Real Human Flight.  The hardware is available off-the-shelf to "qualified buyers"

Good Luck Tunneling
Reagan Cole
Durham, NC




-----Original Message-----
>From: Anna <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Mar 23, 2007 12:23 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Wind Tunnel Exhibits
>
>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>Hello,
>
>I am interested to know how many of you have wind tunnel exhibits and  
>if so, what do you have visitors do and what age groups are they  
>targeted to?
>
>Thanks,
>Anna
>__________________________________
>Anna Grace
>Exhibit Coordinator
>
>Explorit Science Center
>2801 2nd Street (Main Public Site)
>3141 5th Street (Mace Park Branch)
>P.O. Box 1288 (mail address)
>Davis, CA 95617
>530.756.0191
>fax 530.756.1227
>http://www.explorit.org
>
>We've expanded!  Explorit's public exhibit gallery has moved to our  
>new site along I-80 which opened on September 23 at 2801 2nd St..   
>Learn more about our Expanding the Explorit Experience project and on- 
>going capital campaign by visiting http://www.explorit.org/expansion/ 
>index.html
>
>
>
>
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>More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
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