Improving the specific instrumental transversal skill of Aerospace Engineers through a lab experience

Abstract

[EN] This paper proposes an educational methodology for the development of the specific instrumental soft skill in Aerospace Engineering degree students. This methodology uses an autonomous and active learning approach to measure, through two different techniques, the local flow velocities around a circular cylinder in a subsonic wind tunnel. The students are directly involved in the complete measuring procedure through practical sessions in a lab, applying directly Hot-Wire Anemometry (HWA) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) techniques, and reporting the analysis of the results after the corresponding data processing. Results show that the proposed lab-based methodology is well received by the students whereas the objective evaluation demonstrates its potential to improve the specific instrumental soft skill acquisition.