British Universities and Aeronautical Research|The Fourth Lanchester Memorial Lecture

Abstract

SummarySome remarks are first made on the pertinence of the topic chosen for a lecture dedicated to Dr. Lanchester. A brief historical review is then given of the development of University teaching and research activities in Aeronautics from the early years of the Century to the present. An imaginary but typical modern University Department of Aeronautical Engineering is described with particular reference to numbers of students, staff, laboratory equipment and budget. Some of the many research topics to which the Universities have made and are making important contributions are then discussed briefly. These are to illustrate the scope and tendencies of University research against the background of current developments in Aeronautics. Among the subjects referred to are such topics as the structure of the turbulent boundary layer and the measurement of skin friction, flow Separation phenomena, boundary layer drag and heat transfer at high speeds, aeroelasticity, the application of matrix methods to structural analysis using digital Computers, structural damping, secondary flows in propulsion machinery, the rotating stall and jet noise.The paper concludes with some general remarks on the relationships between the Universities, the Government Research Establishments and the Industry and on the future of University research. The importance of maintaining on the one hand the independence of the Universities and on the other hand the closest contact between them, the Government Establishments and Industry is strongly emphasised.