Ground Testing Award Open for Nominations 10 November 2024 – 15 January 2025
Established in 1975, the Ground Testing Award is presented for outstanding achievement in the development or effective utilization of technology, procedures, facilities, or modeling techniques for flight simulation, space simulation, propulsion testing, aerodynamic testing, or other ground testing associated with aeronautics and astronautics.
This annual award is generally presented at the AIAA AVIATION Forum/ASCEND.
Deadlines:
Accepting Online Nominations: 10 November
Nomination Deadline: 15 January
Endorsement Letters Deadline: 1 February
Award Recipients
2023
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Dr Luca MaddalenaThe University of Texas at ArlingtonAwardedAward: 2023 AIAA Ground Testing AwardAIAA Citation: For pioneering contributions in the development of arc-heated test facilities, advanced optical diagnostics, and data processing.
2022
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Dr James C RossNASA Ames Research CenterAwardedAward: 2022 AIAA Ground Testing AwardAIAA Citation: “In recognition of decades of exemplary service and leadership in ground testing, advancing critical technologies including heavy vehicles, military aircraft, and NASA’s Multipurpose Crew Vehicle Program.”
2021
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Prof Guillermo PaniaguaPurdue UniversityAwardedAward: 2021 AIAA Ground Testing AwardAIAA Citation: Significant contributions in aerothermal highspeed flow instrumentation and novel wind tunnels to support the Aerospace industry, outstanding service to AIAA, dissemination, and mentorship.
2020
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Mr Mark R MelansonLockheed Martin AeronauticsAwardedAward: 2020 Ground Testing AwardAIAA Citation: For contributions to development/ground testing of F-35, for decades of wind tunnel testing, and for sustained contributions to AIAA in multiple leadership roles.
2019
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James T HeineckNASA-Ames Research CenterAwardedAward: 2019 Ground Testing AwardAIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding contributions to the areas of optical measurement technique development and implementation, flow visualization, and high-speed photography across the NASA ground test community.
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Mr Edward T SchairerNASA Ames Research CenterAwardedAward: 2019 Ground Testing AwardAIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding contributions to the areas of optical measurement technique development and implementation, flow visualization, and high-speed photography across the NASA ground test community.
2018
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Norbert M UlbrichJacobs TechnologyAwardedAward: 2018 Ground Testing AwardAIAA Citation: In recognition of outstanding contributions to ground testing, balance calibration methods, and wind tunnel measurement corrections over many decades of dedicated service.
2017
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Dan E MarrenAEDC/TSTT (White Oak)AwardedAIAA Citation: For impactful and sustained contributions to every aspect of test sciences. His efforts enabled new capabilities, advanced diagnostics and revitalized the next generation testing workforce.
2016
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Prof Zonglin JiangState Key lab of High Temperature Gas DynamicsAwardedAIAA Citation: For skillful leadership in conceiving, developing and successful commissioning of the world’s largest shock tunnel capable of true hypersonic flight simulation.
2015
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Mr ROBERT F IDENASA GLENN RESEARCH CNTRAwardedAward: -AIAA Citation: For outstanding technical achievements in icing and wind tunnel calibration and testing at the NASA Glenn Research Center Icing Research Tunnel and other ground test facilities.
2014
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Mr Jeffrey E HaasAwardedAIAA Citation: For exceptional management of NASA Glenn Research Center’s test facility assets; for significant contributions to advance aerodynamic and propulsion ground testing; and for leadership and service to AIAA.
2013
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Dr Jack SokheyAwardedAIAA Citation: For exceptional service, leadership, and technical contribution in the advancement of jet engine technology; performed through testing of small-scale and full-scale research models and jet engines
2012
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Prof Steven P SchneiderPurdue UniversityAwardedAIAA Citation: For exceptional technical contributions and leadership in the advancement and utilization of quiet hypersonic ground test facilities: fostering scientific progress and supporting national technical priorities.
2011
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Dr Michael S HoldenCUBRCAwardedAIAA Citation: For unique contributions in the development and construction of hypervelocity ground test facilities and their application to experimental research over a wide range of problems in hypersonic flow.
2010
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Mr Frederick L ShopeRetired f/Aerospace Testing AllianceAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions in leadership, sustained technical excellence, and innovative development and application of analysis techniques and computational simulations for ground-test facilities.
2009
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Dr Stan PowellAwardedAIAA Citation: Dr. Powell’s original research and ability to bring together the computational and experimental have served the ground test community for over twenty-five years. He is a unique asset in the ground test community.
2008
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Dr Douglas C RabeAwardedAIAA Citation: For leadership and significant contributions leading to the understanding of compressors through both facility improvements and research investigations.
2007
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Dr Frank W Steinle JrAwardedAIAA Citation: For an exemplary career in experimental aerodynamics, wind tunnel and test technique development and leadership to the advancement of the state-of-the-art in ground testing.
2005
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Blair B GlossAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the ground testing community and in recognition of his knowledge and expertise in the field of subsonic and supersonic aeronautic ground test facilities.
2004
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Dr Hugh W ColemanThe University of Alabama in HuntsvilleAwarded-CoRecipientsAIAA Citation: For pioneering efforts in experimental uncertainty analysis with significant methodology advances and effective dissemination of knowledge through a straight-forward engineering approach in their text and short-course.
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Dr W Glenn SteeleRetired f/Mississippi State UniversityAwarded-CoRecipientsAIAA Citation: For pioneering efforts in experimental uncertainty analysis with significant methodology advances and effective dissemination of knowledge through a straight-forward engineering approach in their text and short-course.”
2003
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Dr Henry T NagamatsuRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteAwardedAIAA Citation: Prof. Nagamatsu has designed, built, and operated numerous ground testing facilities including Hypersonic testing facilities, wind tunnels transonic and combustion facilities. He has pioneered hypersonic research in the 1940s and 1950s
2002
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Dr John I ErdosAwardedAIAA Citation: For visionary technical leadership and engineering innovation in developing experimental methods and facilities that have significantly advanced the state of supersonic and hypersonic aeropropulsion research.
2001
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Dr Donald R WilsonUniversity of Texas ArlingtonAwardedAIAA Citation: For the founding and development of comprehensive aerospace ground testing and research center and education a new generation of aerospace professionals
2000
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Mr. Travis W Binion Jr.AwardedAIAA Citation: For lasting contribution to the state-of-the-art of wind tunnel testing in areas of tunnel wall interference, data uncertainty, and flow quality
1999
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Mr. Lawrence E PutnamAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding leadership toward improvement of customer satisfaction, facility reliability/productivity, and data quality in the experimental facilities of the Langley Research Center
1998
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Mr. Ivan E BeckwithNASA-Langley Research CenterAwardedAIAA Citation: For the insightful development of a new supersonic wind tunnel configuration with disturbance-free flow, thereby affording boundary-layer transition test capability
1997
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Dr Gary T ChapmanAwardedAIAA Citation: For lifetime achievements and major contributions to ground testing in measurement and analysis methods, aerodynamic modeling, parameter estimation, CFD code validation and test design.
1996
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Mr. James P CrowderBoeing Commercial Airplane GroupAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding achievement in the development and application of innovative experimental methods and flow field visualization techniques for aerodynamic testing.
1995
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Dr A George HavenerHQUSAFA/DFANAwardedAIAA Citation: For innovative technical contributions and visionary leadership in aerodynamic flow diagnostics and the pioneering of Computational Flow Imaging
1994
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Dr John W DavisAwardedAIAA Citation: For leadership, management, and technical achievements that contribute significantly to maintaining U.S. excellence in aerospace ground testing, engineering performance, and flight simulation
1993
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Prof Raymond J StalkerThe University of QueenslandAwardedAIAA Citation: For pioneering a practical free-piston driver for hypersonic shock tunnels and the applicationachines to real gas aerothermodynamcs and high speed combustion research
1992
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Mr Charles G Miller IIIAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding technical contributions in the development of hypersonic/hypervelocity wind tunnels and their utilization through the development and application of innovative operational procedures and measurements techniques
1991
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Mr. Robert L TrimpiAwardedAIAA Citation: For pioneering work in the conception, development and application of novel facilities, instrumentation and test techniques for experimental aerodynamic studies
1990
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Dr Eugene E CovertMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyAwardedAIAA Citation: For leadership in developing and implementing innovative techniques and advancing state-of-the-art wind tunnel testing at subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic speeds.
1989
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Mr. James M CookseyAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to the state-of-the-art of trisonic wind tunnel technology, including component and equipment design, calibration and test techniques; and, service to the technical community in disseminating knowledge in other areas. His consistent emphasis on excellence has made a difference
1988
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Charles E WittliffAwardedAIAA Citation: For contributions advancing both the science and engineering of short-duration hypersonic testing, including similitude and principle of hypersonic shock tunnel operation, as well as development of test instrumentation and test techniques
1987
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Robert E Smith SrAwardedAIAA Citation: For his technical and managerial leadership in developing and implementing innovative new techniques and systems for ground test and evaluation of air breathing and rocket aerospace propulsion systems
1986
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Dr Kazimierz J Orlik-RuckemannAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions to dynamic stability research by anticipating experimental simulation requirements and developing the needed advanced techniques for dynamic wind tunnel testing
1985
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Billy J GriffithAwardedAIAA Citation: For 20 years of sustained performance in addressing hypersonic flight problems by synergistic combination of experimental aerodynamics, basic aerodynamic simulation, and computational fluid dynamics
1984
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James C YoungAwardedAIAA Citation: In recognition of singularly outstanding contributions to the wind tunnel testing and aerodynamic design of the Space Shuttle. His technical and managerial contributions have been vital to the Shuttle''s success from concept through flight
1983
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Dr James G MitchellAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding contributions in the formulation and implementation of the Uniform Engine Testing Program under the auspices of the Propulsion and Energetics Panel of AGARD to enhance the quality and uniformity of turbine engine performance assessments
1982
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Mr. Gerald L WinchenbachAwardedAIAA Citation: For 20 years of sustained excellence in aeroballistic testing at the USAF Von Karman Facility Hypervelocity Range G and at the USAF Aeroballistic Research Facility
1981
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Mr. Glenn NorfleetSverdrup Technology IncAwardedAIAA Citation: For continuous technical and managerial direction for the development of the AECD Hypervelocity Track G, which resulted insignificant advanced in the state-of-the-art of ground test technology
1980
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Dr Frank L WattendorfAwardedAIAA Citation: For pioneering accomplishments, outstanding leadership, expert advice and innumerable contributions in the advancement of ground testing facilities and capabilities throughout the world.
1979
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Dr Jack D WhitfieldRt 2 Box 150AAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding technical achievement in experimental studies of boundary layer transition at supersonic and hypersonic speeds for managerial guidance in the development of high Reynolds number aerodynamic test facilities
1978
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Arthur B DotyAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding pioneering contributions and consistent leadership in the fields of training, simulation technology, and engineering acquisition methods and procedures
1976
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Bernhard H GoethertAwardedAIAA Citation: For outstanding and persistent contributions to the fields of aerodynamic, propulsion and space simulation testing through the development of technology, procedures, facilities, and modeling techniques