CFD is still not enough?

Pi Guy

Hi,

I have been watching some documentries and read some articles about things concerning aero and was curious as to why people still use wind tunnels and the smoke wands on scale models.

What is lacking in CFD which makes these physical tests still required? Or are these physical tests still needed as validation for the CFD analysis?

The one that comes to my mind immediately was the one of the boeing's blended wing project: http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles...nded+wing.html

They have built a scale model so that they can test the control systems and other aspects of the plane.

I have done hardware in the loop simulation myself before, so my thinking is that it is purely validation of the results, but I would like to know for certain if and what limitation still exist with CFD.

I am an engineer, but I don't have fluids background, fluids are just an interest of mine.

Thanks