In course of the first icing test project, performed for a customer in the new Icing Wind Tunnel (IWT) of RTA the newly built facility upgrade was officially opened on 3.3.2014.
In order to develop, test and certify its products, the aviation industry therefore urgently requires high-performance facilities where suitable icing tests can be carried out. Rail Tec Arsenal has taken on this challenge and invested around € 1.15 million in its new icing facility. Thanks to this mobile icing rig, the longest climatic wind tunnel in the world can now be converted into the world's largest icing wind tunnel for aircraft.
On 3 March 2014, the new icing facility for aircraft was officially opened in the Vienna Climatic Wind Tunnel. Where usually rail and road vehivles from all ober the world are tested under extreme cliamtic conditions, the aviation industry now also has access to a high performace icing wind tunnel (IWT) for certificaaion tests.
After presentation of the new IWT and its possible field of application a tour through the facility was given to all guests.
On the left picture you see the water treatment plant, an indispensable part for icing tests in the new facility.
The unique possibility was given to "live" witness the flight through a cloud simulated on the ground level:
Thanks to the first customer Agusta Westland, the icing tests on a power unit of one of its helicopters followed.
For more information about the new test service, see: