The School of Engineering Sciences has an enviable variety of wind tunnels that are used in its extensive teaching and research programmes.

The wind tunnels are managed through the Research for industry, RIfI. and are available for hire. The R J Mitchell tunnel has been used extensively by Formula 1, Indy Racing League and CART racing teams, LMG GT/GTS-class sports cars and world-leading aerospace companies. Contact the RIfI wind tunnel manager for details.

Complete projects can also be undertaken, involving the combination of consultancy and wind tunnels test. The Wolfson Unit MTIA (WUMTIA), which is part of RIfI, has considerable experience in performing this type of work.

Academic research is managed through the Aerodynamics and Flight Mechanics Research Group and wind tunnels have been used in a wide variety of projects including fundamental aerodynamics, aerodynamics of racing cars and road vehicles, rotorcraft aerodynamics, aeroacoustics, aeronautics, wind engineering and industrial aerodynamics. The AFM Group has achieved Defence and Aerospace Partnership (DARP) status in Rotorcraft Aeromechanics & Modelling and Simulation of Turbulence and Transition for Aerospace under the DTI Foresight Programme. The group has deep expertise in both experimental and computational fluid dynamics and aeroacoustics that can be tapped by industrial clients. The University runs the only postgraduate course in the UK in Race Car Aerodynamics.

Aerospace engineering is the largest specialist undergraduate course within the United Kingdom with a variety of wind tunnels used in the undergraduate and postgraduate study programmes. Southampton is the only course in the UK with both Airbus, BAE SYSTEMS Agusta Westland and Rolls-Royce Preferred Status, and provides engineering undergraduate training to Her Majesty’s Armed Forces under the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS).