Blowing against the tide

Wind tunnels are experimental installations that create an airflow going past a test object. In a controlled and safe environment, they can recreate real-life situations, like an aircraft flying at 30,000ft and 950km/h or a storm blasting a bridge deck. In this way the aerodynamic forces acting on structures can be measured, the flow-field around them can be visualised and fundamental research on aerodynamics can be carried out. Wind tunnels have been invaluable tools to aircraft, automobile and civil engineering designers for over 100 years. However, a significant number of wind tunnels have been decommissioned over the last 20 years, both in Europe and in the United States. Some of these closures have made the news, for instance the decommissioning of the NASA Ames facilities. There are many reasons for this phenomenon and a significant number of possible implications.