WBZ-TV

The new Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel at MIT is capable of reaching wind speeds of up to 230 miles per hour, reports Matt Shearer for WBZ. "Everybody turns into a little kid when they get into a wind tunnel," says Prof. Mark Drela. “Wind tunnel measurements can be used to determine how much fuel an aircraft will consume, how slowly it can fly while landing or how much control the aircraft has in maneuvers,” reports Shearer. “They can also measure the aerodynamics loads on ground vehicles or stationary objects like bridges and buildings.”