PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID TULLAHOMA TN Vol. 67, No. 3 Arnold AFB, Tenn. PERMIT NO. 29 February 3, 2020 Arnold AFB craftsmen and others join to aid supersonic wind tunnel return to service By Bradley Hicks measurement system of the resur- AEDC Public Affairs rected 16-foot supersonic wind tunnel. The reactivation of the 16-foot The wind tunnel known as supersonic wind tunnel at Arnold 16S, the largest supersonic wind Air Force Base is on the horizon, tunnel in the world, has been dor- and work continues behind the mant for more than 20 years. It scenes to bring the dormant facil- was listed as inactive in the late ity back to life. 1990s as national priorities shifted Craftsmen in the Arnold AFB and usage of the facility declined. Model and Machine Shop are be- The reactivation of 16S is ing lauded for the creativity and set to occur before the end of cohesion that led to the successful the year. Paul Wright, Air Force completion of a significant under- project manager for the return to taking critical to reactivating the service project, said the revived facility. facility will fill a crucial need. “It was a lot of teamwork,” said Due to a reduction in the number Amy Duncan, Test Operations and of supersonic wind tunnels in the Sustainment contract project engi- U.S. over the past two decades, neer for the Flight Systems Branch 16S will provide test capabilities at Arnold AFB. “Lots of workers that cannot be found anywhere came up with ideas to save mon- else in the nation. Wright said the ey and material. There was a lot wind tunnel will play a vital role of people using their brains and in the development of hypersonic working together.” weapons systems, which is a ma- Duncan coordinated with the jor focus point of the National Darrell Hargrove, a pipefitter in the Model and Machine Shop at Arnold Air Force Base, uses a Design group on base to design Defense Strategy. jig to bend copper tubing to fit within tape reel covers that will be installed in the 16-foot super- new tape reel covers that will sonic wind tunnel, known as 16S, at Arnold. Completed bends are shown hanging on the right. protect part of the nozzle position See CRAFTSMEN, page 4 This is among numerous efforts undertaken by craftsmen at Arnold which have contributed to the 16S return to service project. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks) Ribbon cut on renovated building at Arnold AFB By Jill Pickett system and updating the rest- AEDC Public Affairs rooms. The renovation did not come The completed renovation of without challenges. a building once slated for demo- “It was a typical renovation,” lition was celebrated in January Roberts said. “You always hit with a ribbon cutting at Arnold bumps in the road with unfore- Air Force Base. seen site conditions. The Civil Engineering, Oper- “I think the team did a great ations and Maintenance Building job addressing all the problems office space is now an example they encountered. In the end we of the desired future for build- have a great facility for all the ings at Arnold. professionals working here.” “Hopefully we can do this for The final cost for the reno- more of the facilities on base,” vation was within 10 percent of said Col. Charles Roberts, Test the original award contract, even Support Division chief. “This is with having to address signifi- the standard we want across the cant but unforeseen site condi- Complex.” tions. The aging facility had a fail- Cost-saving efforts were made ing heating, ventilation and air to minimize the impact of those conditioning, or HVAC, system issues, such as using a method to and a degraded interior prior to repair pipes that avoided having renovation. to excavate the road they crossed “It just needed an overall up- under. date,” said Tony Pennington, Air “We knew it was going to be Air Force project manager Tony Pennington, second from right, and Col. Charles Roberts, Force project manager. a hard project because it was an Test Support Division chief, cut a ribbon Jan. 6 to celebrate the renovation of the Civil En- That update included abate- old building and it was a full-up gineering, Operations and Maintenance Building at Arnold Air Force Base. Also pictured ment of asbestos, redoing the renovation,” Pennington said. are Jerry Goodman, left, a project manager with the Test Operations and Sustainment plumbing, replacing the HVAC “But in the end we got a great contract, and Barry Banks, a construction superintendent with TOS. (U.S. Air Force photo system, replacing the sprinkler product.” by Jill Pickett) AEDC Team member is AFMC nominee for 2019 Lieutenant General Leo Marquez Award By Deidre Moon nated for an annual award at this “This is a once in a career pleasure of serving with. But, he has overseen munitions and AEDC Public Affairs level is an incredible distinction. – if at all – situation, and I am fundamentally, I credit God, as high explosives for several test Congratulations, Jason, and to truly humbled by the Com- well as the sacrifice and faith- projects. Senior Master Sgt. Jason the men and women whose con- mand’s nomination,” he said. “I ful support of my family. This While deployed, Harlan co- Harlan, one of Arnold Engineer- tributions helped propel him to would like to give a special note award (nomination) is as much ordinated the inspection and ing Development Complex’s the nomination.” of thanks to my coworkers, su- theirs as it is mine. I am truly transportation of 27 captured own team members, is an Air Harlan, Munitions Flight pervisors and the greater AEDC blessed to have them and to be a enemy munitions or unexploded Force Materiel Command nomi- Chief and Munitions Account- family for all of their support. part of the AEDC team.” ordnances for Defense Intel- nee for the 2019 Lieutenant able Systems Officer, or MASO, “This past year has been a In the nomination packet for ligence Agency exploitation, General Leo Marquez Award. at Arnold Air Force Base, stated very trying time for me person- the award, Harlan is recognized In an email to the workforce, he is honored to be considered ally, and I can say that the AEDC for many accomplishments here See AWARD, page 4 AEDC Commander Col. Jeffrey and to represent AEDC at the family, from the top down, are at Arnold and during his most Geraghty said, “To be nomi- Air Force level. some of the best I’ve had the recent deployment. At Arnold, A view from the Test Technology, Analysis and Nominations for world’s largest Evaluation: Sourced from the 2020 AEDC Fellows wind tunnel heart of AEDC – our people open …Page 2 …Page 2 …Page 3 2 • February 3, 2020 Arnold A view from the world’s largest wind tunnel Air Force By Scott Waltermire Base Site Director, National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – AEDC’s expertise in low-speed aerodynamic testing resides at the National Full-Scale Aero- dynamics Complex, or NFAC, a geographically separated unit located on the NASA Ames Re- Col. Jeffrey Geraghty search Center campus in Moun- Commander tain View, Calif. Jason Austin The NFAC is primarily used Chief, for determining the aerodynamic Public Affairs characteristics of large-scale and full-scale fixed wing, rotorcraft and powered-lift vertical and short take-off and landing air- Richard Tighe craft. General Manager, One thing that makes the National Aerospace Solutions NFAC particularly unique is the enormous size of the test sec- High Mach Staff: tions. The available space en- Kathy Jacobsen, ables nontraditional types of ex- NAS Executive Editor perimentation that could never be Tiltrotor Test Rig with rotor blades in the 40 by 80-foot Wind Tunnel at Ames Research Center. done in a ‘normal’ wind tunnel. (Courtesy photo) Jill Pickett NAS Editor These nontraditional tests in- provements to pilot visibility in of us continue to work at the of the larger AEDC suite of test High Mach is published by clude flying refueling systems in heavy weather, and operating ro- NFAC, it is not the reason our and analysis capabilities used Lakeway Publishers, Inc. a pri- the tunnel, demonstrating active tor and tiltrotor testbeds at speeds nation needs and resources the to develop the tools needed by vate firm in no way connected flow control over aircraft surfac- never before accomplished any- Subsonic Aerodynamic Ground our services to deter if possible, with the U.S. Air Force, Arnold es, shooting mortars in the tunnel Air Force Base, Arnold Engi- where on earth. Test and Evaluation capability. or defeat if necessary, any po- neering Development Complex to simulate planetary decelerator Very cool stuff! The NFAC facility and the ded- tential adversary. (AEDC) or National Aerospace parachute deployments, spraying However, while doing cool icated team that operates and Solutions (NAS), under exclu- water on a test article to test im- stuff may be the reason many maintains it are a critical part See TUNNEL, page 6 sive written contract with NAS at Arnold AFB, Tenn., 37389. Everything advertised in this publication will be made available for purchase, use Test Technology, Analysis and Evaluation: or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital sta- tus, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non- Sourced from the heart of AEDC – our people merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. By Brandon Lucy by a near-peer competitor tests proving hypersonic universal solutions, and evaluation enabling tech- The High Mach office is located at 100 Kindel Drive, Chief, Test Technology, and, thus, we must prepare weapons for prompt strike only a constant inquisitive nology development.” Suite A236, Arnold AFB, Tenn.