Carrier Earns Its Wings
In the 1920s and 1930s, commercial aviation was just getting off the ground. Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927 certainly accelerated the industry and created new opportunities. One hurdle to clear, and one that seemed insurmountable, was the dangerous conditions brought on by winter weather. Specifically, ice formation on airplane wings, tails and propellers posed a major problem. Attempts to establish transatlantic routes were hampered because the most direct route between North America and Europe -- over the North Pole -- was too dangerous to fly!
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The problem intensified with the onset of World War II as more than 100 cargo planes were lost due to icing while "flying the hump" over the Himalayan Mountains. A solution was needed. As a result, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) directed that an Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) be added to the Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT) at the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory (now known as Lewis Research Center). To help with this large task, NACA turned to the leading minds in the field. They enlisted Carrier.
Willis H. Carrier and a team of his best engineers accepted the challenge to design the AWT and IRT cooling systems. Virtually every stage of the design involved brand new concepts. The Carrier team developed new ideas, tested them and redesigned those that did not work, all while working against the clock with the pressure of wartime restrictions.
As a result of these innovations, the Air Force was able to test the B-29 engines at very cold temperatures and low-pressures of high altitudes. Just prior to his death in 1950, Willis Carrier said, "Once, I accomplished the impossible. That is, the task seemed impossible when I first tackled it. And because of its success, high officials in the Air Force told me that World War II was shortened by many months." It was "The Chief's" proudest moment in a lifetime of accomplishment.
The developments in this area continued. In the 1950's, the IRT spray system was capable of producing droplets small enough to reproduce realistic icing patterns on aircraft components. This testing continued throughout the decade.
In the 1960's, NACA became NASA and shifted its focus toward space exploration. The IRT was hardly used, and many thought it might be closed. However, the 1970's brought new concerns about ice protection, and in 1978 NASA reinstituted an icing research program. In the 1980's, the IRT underwent a $3.6 million renovation to cope with its heavy workload and is currently in great demand from government and industry to solve new icing problems.
So the next time your flight is delayed because the aircraft is being deiced, remember that if it weren't for Carrier's wartime innovation, your flight might have been cancelled altogether!
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