The Institute of Aviation or Warsaw Institute of Aviation (Polish Instytut Lotnictwa) is a research and development center established in 1926, located in Warsaw

Warsaw

Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...

, Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

. The Institute of Aviation consists of four research centres:

• The New Technologies Centre (NTC) - undertakes large innovative projects in collaboration with the EU partners. The centre specializes in two areas: light aviation and space research.
• The Materials and Structures Research Centre (MSRC) - offers tests across a wide range of loads and temperatures. The centre is a leader in Poland owing to a significant number of certified test stands.
• The Net Institute (NET) - aims to develop network cooperation, to promote knowledge dissemination and to investigate prospective forms of activity.
• The Engineering Design Center (EDC) - operates based on the strategic alliance with General Electric. The centre offers expertise and R&D services for jet aircraft engines and related areas.

New Technologies Center

The New Technologies Center (NTC) is one of four research centers of the Institute of Aviation. The Center carries out R&D projects in the area of aeronautics and space technologies, including theoretical works, design & analysis and lab research.

Laboratory research is conducted in the complexes of labs certified by the Polish Center for Accreditation (PCA) and are furnished with the unique in Poland testing and measuring equipment.

The New Technologies Center provide R&D services to Polish and foreign companies to help them raise their competitiveness.
Scope of work:

• Aerodynamics (CFD and experimental analysis).
• Avionics and systems integration.
• Design and strength analysis of metallic and composite structures (airplanes, helicopters, non-standard constructions and others).
• Rocket propulsion and space technologies.
• Landing gear & energy absorption systems
• Aircraft propulsion including piston, turboshaft & jet engines.
  • Composite technologies.
  • Vibration & flutter analysis.
  • Environmental research.

Aerodynamic Department

The Aerodynamic Department utilizes the extensive experience of its staff (professor and Ph.D. and M.Sc. qualified engineers) to find solutions in the area of aerodynamics and flight mechanics for civil and military airplanes and helicopters. Their experience is used at all stages of research, from design to CFD to wind tunnel trials. Almost all Polish airplanes and helicopters have been tested in wind tunnels at the Institute of Aviation.

Applied Aerodynamics Laboratory

Lab performs aerodynamic research for land and water based transport (automotive, water and railroad) and the building industry. In our aerodynamic tunnels various types of wind resistance tests on stationary objects are carried out. We have access to five wind tunnels, including a trisonic wind tunnel and the largest in Poland (5 m test chamber) and a low and speed wind tunnel, all equipped with advanced instrumentation and calibration equipment.

Computational Fluid Dynamic and Flight Mechanics Group

The Computational Fluid Dynamic and Flight Mechanics Group is a leader among research centers in Poland in the area of aerodynamic design and CFD analysis. Its staff comprises highly qualified engineers specializing in CFD, as well as airframe design and optimization. For research and development work, both commercial and in house developed software is employed according to the scope of work and it’s specification.

Design and optimization

Basic tools for design and optimization are in house developed and implemented methods of:

• Parameterization of geometries for design and optimization purposes.
• Multicriterial and multidisciplinary design and optimization based on genetic algorithms.
• Design of Experiment (DoE) methodology.

Analysis

For computational analysis of flowfield, both commercial and in house developed software is employed. In collaboration with other research facilities, employees takes a part in developing the new software for academic purposes.

Avionics & Systems Integrations Department

The activity carried out in the Department is focused on research, design and short run production within the area covering:

• avionic equipment,
• systems aimed at automatic measurement & diagnostic tasks,
• avionic electrical equipment including power supplies, wiring, installations,… etc.),
• all designed and developed for airplanes, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The Department is capable to conduct and supervise technical investigations and tests of systems and aircraft equipment and is entitled to issue statements of compliance with RTCA, ARINC, MIL, TSO standards and aircraft requirements. The Department has the potential to manufacture prototypes and carry out short run production of smart systems aimed at precise measurement and diagno-stic & indicating tasks.

Systems designed and manufactured in Avionics & Systems Integration Department, which are installed in Polish aircraft, as well as used in laboratories, includes:

• Fuel gauging systems (capacitive type) for I 22 ‘Iryda’, PZL M 28 ‘Bryza’ and ‘Skytruck’ airplanes and W-3 ‘Sokol’ helicopter.
• Radioaltimeter RWL 750M, used as the avionic equipment in I 22 ‘Iryda’, PZL M 28 'Bryza’ airplanes and ‘Anakonda’ helicopter.
• Torquemetering system used in W-3 ‘Sokol’ helicopter.
• Lighting regulator and warning systems for I 22 ‘Iryda’, PZL M 28 ‘Skytruck’ airplanes.
• Telemetric data transmission system for an unmanned aircraft.
• Autonomous control system for an unmanned aircraft the RAC analog/digital data recorder designed for data acquisition, storage and playback.
• GPPA 3, GPPA 4, generators and GWE 2 electrostatic discharge generator.
• AROS - the autonomous fatigue loads data recorder.
• Testing instruments:

Other works:

• Integration of avionic equipment for PZL I 22 ‘Iryda’, and PZL 130 ‘Orlik’ training airplanes.
• Integration of avionic equipment for I 23 ‘Manager’ general aviation aircraft.
• Design, manufacturing and in flight testing of experimental version of avionic equipment for I 23 ‘Manager’ aircraft, aimed at fully automatically controlled flight in emergency conditions.
• Electronic & Electrical equipment for PRP 560 ‘Ranger’ hovercraft.
• Unmanned airplane ‘Sowa’ (prototype built for research and development tasks)

Environmental Laboratory

The Laboratory acquired Testing Laboratory Certificate No. AB 132, issued by Polish Centre for Accreditation on February 2005, in compliance with PN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard requirements. The scope of this Certificate covers tests of resistance to mechanical hazards, climate stresses and functional inspection of products.

Landing Gear Department

The Institute of Aviation is a leading center for design and testing of landing gears in Poland. The landing gears of most airplanes and helicopters produced by Polish manufacturers have been designed and tested by the Landing Gear Department.

The Landing Gear Department offers design, analysis and test services of landing gear with the use of modern devices and measurement instrumentation.

Space Technologies Group

The Institute of Aviation is one of the very few research centers in Poland engaged in aeronautics, which can show off considerable contributions to the growth of space technology. In the 70's, thanks to development of the METEOR rockets used for surveying the upper layers of the atmosphere (wind direction measurement), Poland became one of the countries capable of designing, and even more importantly, implementing their own rocket systems.

The most significant success was developing the METEOR-2K rocket, equipped with 2 auxiliary booster engines. Though never used in this role, the METEOR-2K rocket was considered a launcher vehicle, due to it reaching an altitude of over 100 km. The Space Technologies Group focuses on developing space technologies, such as new rocket/space propulsion systems, green fuels, rocket structures and rocket trajectories analysis (including ballistic rockets).

Other Capabilities:

• Propellant injection analysis (axisymmetric injectors).
• Propellant combustion analysis.
• Cooling systems analysis: radiative, regenerative, transpiration, and ablation
• Pressure and turbopump power systems analysis.
• Engine performance analysis on the ground and in a vacuum.

Projects related to rocket engines also look into ways of replacing traditional fuels with green fuels in the space sector.The Space Technologies Group has successfully completed work on developing its own cost effective launcher vehicle, equipped with pressure power systems for rocket engines that run on ecological fuel. The rocket has been designed with a view to lifting lightweight payloads (approx. 100 kg) to the solar synchronized orbit, at an altitude of approx. 600 km.
Alongside projects of key importance to the growth of space technologies in Poland, the Space Technologies Group is involved in developing its own software for supporting the design process and preliminary systems analysis.

The Space Technologies Group participates in the European project FP7: GRASP – GReen Advanced Space Propulsion. The project aims to find new solutions in the area of environmentally friendly propellants for the power systems of new and existing rocket engines, in order to eliminate the use of propellants, such as hydrazine and its derivatives, whose high toxicity poses a threat to health. The Austrian Research Center co-ordinates the project, and a special consortium has been established for the realization of the project's objectives.

Aircraft Design Team

The Aircraft Design Team holds certificate no. AP 270, which is issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The Aircraft Design Team specializes in designing composite and metallic aircraft structures and technological equipment, and performing strength analyses. The Aircraft Design Team does not restrict its activity to the area related to aircraft structures.

Adaptronic Department

Adaptronic Department was founded in 2008 in order to carry out research into smart materials and structures and their appli-cations in aviation.

Areas of Research:

• Adaptive control systems (adaptive impact energy absorbers).
• MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS).
• Biomedical engineering (computer aided head surgery).
• Image analysis for obtaining biomedical data.
• Structural Health Monitoring (SHM).

Currently it is collaborating with the Warsaw Medical University and the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine of the Polish Academy of Sciences, in the area of computer aided head surgery.

Helicopter Research Department

Its goal is to develop helicopter technologies through proposing innovative structural and techno-logical solutions, verified by research methods, cooperation in the area of scientific research and encouraging new solutions in economy. This goal is accomplished by highly qualified researchers by means of specialized test stands and research methods.

Materials and Structures Research Centre

The Materials & Structures Research Center ( MSRC) is a division of the Institute of Aviation. The MSRC was founded following the longstanding and widespread involvement of the Institute of Aviation in the area of strength research of materials and elements of aircraft structures, conducted since the Institute was established in 1926.

In its present form, the MSRC has been existing since December 2004, when it was re-organized after the offset agreement between Poland and the U.S. Initially, the Center's activity focused on the transfer of technologies and research stations from Pratt & Whitney, who were executing offset commitments on behalf of Lockheed-Martin. Gradually, MSRC has begun to implement its own solutions (e.g. grip designs and circuit cooling of grip systems). At the same time, the Center has begun to cooperate with Polish producers.

Structural Test Laboratory

The Laboratory performs such types of tests:

Static tests & quasistatic fatigue tests

• Full scale and component static and fatigue tests.
• Functional tests.
• Stiffness tests.

Dynamic tests

• High cycle, fatigue tests.
• Frequency check tests.

Other tests

• Low-Revolution wear test of aircraft engine fan blades and discs (windmilling).
• High Temperature Oxidation and Thermal Barrier Coating Spallation Test (Burner Rig Test).

Non-Destructive Test & Materials Properties Laboratory

The Lab offers non-destructive tests of materials properties and structural components using the following methods:

• Eddy current, Penetrant, Magnetic. Ultrasonic and Visual.

The Lab also performs metallo-graphic tests, fractography, hardness tests, surface roughness test and analisis of syrface chemical composition.

Materials Test Laboratory

Materials Test Laboratory performs specialized in materials tests in accordance with the European and world standards.

Net Institute

The Net Institute was brought to life as a network organization in response to recent global economic and social changes. Globalization, increasing international co-operation, the worldwide shortage of civil engineers and the growing role of the world‘s biggest companies have all necessitated a change in the way aeronautical research and development is managed. Net Institute' main task is to create favorable conditions for the balanced development of Polish aviation as an active player in the global marketplace.

Conferences

Net Institute organizes conferences and scientific seminars. The topics are directly related to the expert networks and on-going projects. The events are attended by renowned specialists, scientists, researchers and professionals with extensive experience in their fields. The conferences provide an opportunity to present current status and outcomes of research conducted by network members as well as results of the entire projects.

Previous conferences concerned topics connected with aircraft noise in Poland and aircraft structures fatigue.

Engineering Design Center

The Engineering Design Center (EDC) was established in April 2000 under an agreement between the aviation engines department of GE (General Electric Aircraft Engines) and the Institute of Aviation. Since the beginning, the Center has been developing very dynamically. Currently Polish engineers support with their work not only GE's aviation engines department, but also other departments, such as Energy or Oil Industry.

EDC is one of several global establishments of GE, located outside the USA and co-operates with such GE businesses like GE Aviation, GE Energy, GE Oil&Gas or GE Rail. Engineers working at the Engineering Design Center design and improve parts of aviation engines, turbine ship propulsions and turbines for land based use (e.g. aviation derivative gas turbines used as electricity generators), high power gas turbines, steam turbines, as well as boilers and environmental protection equipment, such as filters and electro filters. EDC engineers also participate in design work, analyses, technical support of such machines like compressors, turbo expanders and gas turbines used in the oil and chemical industry. Work also includes production support and testing parts and components.

EDC in Poland cooperates with other GE centres in India, Mexico, Turkey and with firms in, among others, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Romania, South Korea and Taiwan.

The development of the EDC is planned longterm. The Center employs approximately 800 engineers and constantly increases the number of staff.

Engineers working at EDC Aviation are divided into teams designing individual elements of jet engines.

They include:

• Airfoils Center of Excellence.
• Rotating Parts Center of Excellence.
• Structures Center of Excellence.
• Combustion Center of Excellence.
• Mechanical Systems Center of Excellence.

In addition, engineers working on an engine receive strong support from such groups as system engineers. Dealing with the integration of individual engine elements and modules, the team of repair engineers developing and implementing new repairs or a large calculation group concentrating on heat exchange, tip clearances or cooling air flows around individual engine components.

EDC Energy consists of 5 teams: Aero Energy, Steam Turbine Center of Excellence, Components Center of Excellence-Gas Turbine, Services Engineering and Integrated Gasi-fication Combined Cycle.

EDC Oil&Gas is divided into seven teams: Advanced Technology, Auxiliary Systems Engineering, Turbomachinery Design&Service, High Speed Reciprocating Compressors, Inquire to Order, Reliability and VetcoGray.

Scientific Publications

The Scientific Publications Division of the Institute of Aviation systematically edits and publishes articles and books by top Polish and foreign scientists, employees of both the Institute of Aviation and other organizations actively engaged in the aviation sector.
Scientific publications fall into four groups.

• Scientific Library of the Institute of Aviation - a series on aviation and related areas, scientific monographs and other works.
• Transactions of the Institute of Aviation - a quarterly in English featuring articles on major research works and projects carried out by the Institute of Aviation, statutory works and works funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, conference and symposium proceedings and other announcements. The quarterly also features habilitation papers of the Institute's employees in Polish.
• Journal of Polish-American Science and Technology - which deals with entrepreneurial issues, opportunities and challenges posed by US - Polish cooperation. The Journal also discusses issues connected with the energy sector, space technologies and telecommunications, biological and medical engineering, health care and environmental protection.
• Historical Library of the Institute of Aviation - collection dedicated to the history of technological advancement in Poland and in the world, contribution of Polish engineers to the development of aviation and the development of scientific thought and research.

Library of the Institute of Aviation

The Science and Technology Library of the Institute of Aviation (established in 1926) can be considered the central aviation library in Poland in terms of the subjects, nature of the collection and its size. Its collection contains some 80,000 volumes, which together with Polish and foreign scientific and technology journals gathered for many years (approx-imately 18,000 volumes) ranks it among the best supplied libraries attached to research and development establishments in Poland. The Library subscribes to some 90 domestic and foreign titles. Its collection also includes nearly 5,500 microfilms of scientific papers and publications, and company advertising materials. The Library also has aviation collections donated from abroad, e.g. the library of Czesław Zbierański, the well-known aviation designer.

The basic subjects covered by the largely unique collection of the Science and Technology Library of the Institute of Aviation include: aviation, aircraft, helicopters, aerodynamics, thermo and gas dynamics, mechanics, light mechanics, strength of materials, aviation engine pistons and jet, aviation instruments and equipment, mathematics, information science and computers, and aviation and astronautics as well as aviation model making.

External links

• Official website of the Institute of Aviation
• Official website of the New Technologies Center (NTC)
• Official website of the Engineering Design Center (EDC)
• Official website of the Materials and Structures Research Centre (MSRC)
• Official website of the Net Institute (NET)
• Official website of The Age of Engineers