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The technical visit this year was to the Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering Department at the University of Hertfordshire, College Road Campus. The visit was organised by Ian Currie who with a colleague took two parties of members round the department to demonstrate some of the practical aspects of the courses offered in the Engineering department.
Group in the Materials Lab
Autoclave Room.
This is where sheets of pre-impregnated resin or carbon fibre sheets are vacuum packed and then heated and pressurised till they become a stronger thicker sheet for use in many applications especially in the modern Aircraft Industry.
UH Flight Simulator
Flight simulator Lab.
The flight simulator teaches basic flying skills in year one, and advanced flying skills in year two. In the final year the students are split up into
groups of five and do group projects that require them within certain parameters to design their own aircraft. Then see if they can fly it when they are satisfied and all the groups are at that stage. A long standing test pilot (John Cunningham, former harrier jump jet pilot), flies them all to see which one is best
Ian with model of aircraft wing
Aerodynamics Labs.
Group being shown model of Airbus A330 wing, a project used to show the student and Airbus the interaction between engine exhaust and wing most especially after flaps are deployed.
Wind Tunnel model of Swing-wing Aircraft
Same lab but showing model of swing wing aircraft F14 Tomcat. A carrier based fighter aircraft which is ideal for demonstrating the swing wing principal were the wing can be brought in for supersonic flight or spread out for landing at slow speeds on the aircraft carrier.
Student Hovercraft Project
Hovercraft and Rocketry Lab.
This picture shows the Uni's Racing hovercraft which was bought just as a fibre glass shell and is being fitted out for racing by the students with a motorcycle engine and a belt driven fan.
The rockets in the background are part of a collection that students work with in the final year to get to grips with things like measuring thrust etc.
Student Racecar Project
Formula student design and build centre.
In this lab final year students design and build a 600cc single seat race car which they must present and race at Silverstone in June. The car is subject to strict scrutiny such as noise levels, brake efficiency, seat and seat belt anchorage, and finally is tilted to a angle of 45 degrees to make sure that no fluids leak from the car even at that angle.
Student hydrogen powered car Project
Here we have a picture of the S.E.T.C. (SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CENTRE).
This shows the re-developed formula student car fuelled by hydrogen, winner of its class at Silverstone last year.
The picture also shows the latest tuning and testing equipment for mapping testing and not least a dynamometer (rolling road) to tune and test all of the cars.
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