Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) is adding a new capability to its portfolio aimed at growing the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) market and attracting new business to the region and state.
Recently, NIAR broke ground on a new restrained flight test facility, which will include out-of-ground and in-ground effect test rigs.
The facility will provide eVTOL developers with a controlled environment for conducting restrained operation of test vehicles for research and testing to assess thrust characteristics, aerodynamics, system performance and failure conditions.
The facility features a 28-by-14-foot elevated test rig and a 20-by-20-foot ground level test rig with six-axis load cells, data acquisition systems and real-time data monitoring capabilities via a mission control room, allowing eVTOL manufacturers to evaluate vehicle system and aerodynamic performance.
The facility, which is located at Air Capital Flight Line on South Oliver in Wichita, is made possible through the Kansas Aviation Research and Testing Growth Initiative (KART), a program funded by the State of Kansas to strengthen aircraft industry technologies in the state.
Textron eAviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company focused on sustainable aviation solutions, is anticipating use of the facility upon completion and has served as a collaborator on the development.
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with NIAR on the development of this test facility, as its design will allow us to simulate key aspects of the flight environment for our Nexus eVTOL,” said Kriya Shortt, president and CEO of Textron eAviation. “With the build of our first full-scale technology demonstrator underway and anticipated first flight for the Nexus in 2025, this hover ramp will support an important program milestone on our path to certification.”
Textron eAviation’s Nexus eVTOL is being designed to serve a range of purposes, including passenger transport, cargo and emergency medical services markets.
In addition to the new restrained flight test facility, NIAR supports eVTOL R&D programs through existing capabilities including material development, environmental and electromagnetic test, full-scale structural test and impact testing. Most recently, NIAR’s Advanced Virtual Engineering and Test lab completed battery pack drop tests on the electric propulsion system of Archer Aviation’s Midnight aircraft.
Electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle development programs are some of the newest and most active in the aerospace industry. According to JPMorgan, the eVTOL industry could be worth $1 trillion by 2040.
Completion of the restrained flight test facility is expected in late 2024.
About Wichita State University
Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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About the National Institute for Aviation Research
The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University provides research, design, testing, certification and training to the aviation, defense, manufacturing and related industries. NIAR has a $350 million annual budget, a staff of 1,200 and nearly two million square feet of laboratory and office space in six locations across the city of Wichita, the Air Capital of the World. Areas of expertise include Additive & Advanced Manufacturing; Advanced Coatings; Aerodynamics; Ballistics and Crash Dynamics; Composites and Advanced Materials; Digital Twin; Environmental and Electromagnetic Test; eXtended Reality; Flight Simulation; Full-Scale Structural Test; Non-Destructive Test; Sustainment; Reverse Engineering; Robotics/Automation and Virtual Engineering. NIAR is a department within the division of Industry and Defense Programs at Wichita State. www.niar.wichita.edu.
