Introduction to Ground Testing
Date: 19 - 21 January 2026
Location: online / on-site: Waterloosesteenweg, 72, 1640 Sint-Genesius-Rode, Belgium - near Brussels
About the lecture series
Ground testing facilities have been used since long in aeronautics and aerospace, as they have been developed for environmental and industrial applications. Nowadays they are still major sources of key data for investigations in all fields of fluid dynamics.
This hybrid lecture series (online / on-site) is organized for student and engineers to provide a comprehensive understanding of the design, operation and application of ground testing facilities from all speed regimes.
Highlights:
- General Understanding: Learn about the design, operation, and application of ground testing facilities.
- Experimental Methodology: Gain insights into experimental techniques, data interpretation, and extrapolation to real-world scenarios.
- Exclusive On-Site Presentation: On-site participants will enjoy a tour of the VKI facilities during a lab visit.
- Interactive Q&A Session: Online participants can engage in a dedicated question/answer session, with the schedule to be announced later.
This lecture series is a unique opportunity to learn from the extensive experience and long-standing tradition of experimental testing at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI).
The Director of this lecture series is Professor Olivier Chazot of the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (VKI).
Programme
Monday 19 January 2026
08:30 - 09:00 Registration
09:00 - 09:15 Welcome address
09:15 - 10:30 The wind tunnel methodology
Prof. Olivier Chazot, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
10:30 - 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 - 12:30 Subsonic wind tunnels 1
Prof. Benoit Bottin, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics and ISIB
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 15:15 Subsonic wind tunnels 2
Prof. Benoit Bottin, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics and ISIB
15:15 - 15:45 Coffee break
15:45 - 17:00 Visit of the L1 & S1 facilities (only on-site participants)
17:00 Reception
Tuesday 20 January 2026
09:00 - 10:15 Wind tunnel development for the Environemental and Applied Fluid Dynamics Department
Prof. Jereon van Beeck, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
10:15 - 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 - 12:00 Transonic & supersonic wind tunnels
Prof. Benoit Bottin, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics and ISIB
12:00 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:45 Test bench for turbomachinery
Prof. Tony Arts, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
14:45 - 15:15 Coffee break
15:15 - 16:30 Extrapolation to engine operation
Prof. Tony Arts, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
16:30 - 17:00 Visit of the turbomachinery facilities (only on-site participants)
17:00 End of day
Wednesday 21 January 2026
09:00 - 10:15 High-enthalpy/plasma wind tunnels
Prof. Olivier Chazot, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
10:15 - 10:45 Coffee break
10:45 - 12:00 Supersonic nozzle design
Prof. Guillaume Grossir, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
12:00 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:45 GT strategy for planetary reentry
Prof. Olivier Chazot, von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics
14:45 - 15:15 Coffee break
15:15 - 16:30 Visit of the hypersonic & plasma facilities (only on-site participants)
17:00 End of the day
Fee and Registration
- Deadline for on-site registration: 5 January 2026
- Deadline for online registration: 12 January 2026
- Discount of 10% in case of online participation*
- Discount of 30% for citizens from NATO countries*
* applicable on the price listed below
Early Bird Registration until 19 November 2025
- Undergraduate students: €180
- PhD students: €540
- Staff from recognized universities / research center: €1080
- Staff from commercial organizations: €1296
Late Registration after 19 November 2025
- Undergraduate students: €200
PhD students: €600
Staff from recognized universities / research center: €1200
Staff from commercial organizations: €1440