USA Luge to Conduct Wind Tunnel Testing in San Diego

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. --- On August 3, reigning World Champion Erin Hamlin, along with two-time Olympic medalist Mark Grimmette, went to the San Diego Low Speed Wind Tunnel to conduct a series of tests in preparation for the upcoming luge season, including the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Hamlin (Remsen, N.Y.) and Grimmette (Muskegon, Mich. and Lake Placid, N.Y) focused on assessing new race suit materials, sled designs and other aerodynamic improvements. In a sport measured to the single thousandth of a second, aerodynamics play a critical role. Since the 2010 Olympic track in Whistler, British Columbia has seen speeds approaching 100 MPH, aerodynamic testing is especially critical. Seventeen individual test runs were completed.

During the test, members of the local San Diego media, along with national press members, spoke with the athletes, took footage of the test and even participated. See story here.

The Low Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT) is considered to be the best facility of its kind in the world. The testing methodology and expert staff draw both world-class athletes and top aerospace companies. To date, the LSWT has conducted nearly 100,000 hours of testing and has been used extensively in numerous military and civil aerospace development programs, including those of the F-106, B-58, F-111, F-16, Global Hawk UAV, Tomahawk Cruise Missile, and Advanced Cruise Missile. In addition, it has recently served the testing needs of Cessna, Boeing, Gulfstream, Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin. As the only wind tunnel in the nation capable of performing low-speed flutter testing, Boeing has used the facility extensively to test all its commercial airliners, from the 707 to the new 787 Dreamliner. The facility has also provided testing for nearly 250 professional and amateur bicyclists including Lance Armstrong and the Astana Cycling Team. USA Luge has been testing at the LSWT since 2004.