Laser Doppler anemometer for in-flight velocity measurements on airplane wings

The increasing popularity of the aerodynamic development of laminar wings for commercial airplanes has stimulated research on a strategy to employ modern experimental and numerical methods to elucidate on the flow velocities around the wings. Laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) was found to be useful in providing local velocity data. However, special LDA systems have to be developed. Studies on LDA systems revealed two optical units suitable for in-flight velocity measurements on airplane wings.