UTSA photo of the day: Helicopter mechanics

By Joanna Carver
Public Affairs Specialist

(August 3, 2015) -- Boys and their toys. Assistant professor of mechanical engineering Victor Maldonado and his students have built part of a helicopter to study aerodynamics and jet flow. Here, a student is standing behind bulletproof glass as a precaution, because those blades can reach 2,000 rotations per minute.

Maldonado and his students added divots in the blades to control airflow and prevent stalling. They’ve also installed synthetic jet flow devices in the blades to build momentum. His students built much of the device under his supervision over the past two years.

Maldonado says the mechanics of the helicopter device are also applicable to wind turbines, hence the wind turbine in three parts in the background, part of a related project.

Photo credit: Joanna Carver

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