Dutch, French and German research agencies have formed a windtunnel alliance in response to increased demand for services due to programmes such as the Airbus A350, A380 and A400M. German aerospace centre DLR, Dutch national aerospace laboratory NLR and France’s ONERA have formed the Aero Testing Alliance (ATA) to jointly develop new measurement and testing techniques and harmonise investments.
“As a first step, DLR, NLR and ONERA will perform joint activities... on marketing and acquisition of contracts, [and] also joint investments in equipment,” says NLR. The DLR and NLR have also created a 50:50 joint venture called German-Dutch Windtunnels.
The DLR, NLR and ONERA have since 1988 been involved in the European Transonic Windtunnel (ETW), a venture formed by the governments of France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. Based near Cologne, ETW will continue, but the UK is not involved in the new ATA.