## 📢Introduction

The world continuously changes, but the past months have been dramatically different.
The new Coronavirus COVID-19 has, most importantly, cost many lives and created a lot of stress in many families.

It has also shocked economies around the world.
Lockdowns have forced factories to close and people to work remotely, if at all.

So where does all this leave people working on aerodynamics?

## ❔Market demand

If you would have to list the top 10 global sectors that have been hit hardest by COVID-19, the automotive & aviation industry would both be in it or even take the podium. With hardly anyone buying a car when locked in their home and with continental & intercontinental flights reduced to almost none, you can imagine the challenges they face.

The racing segment had been hit particularly hard, with all races cancelled.
But even now that Formula One has restarted, it's not the same without an audience (in terms of entertainment but also in terms of income!).

So where do you put aerodynamics on the priority list in such scenarios?
Will you cut all non-necessary spending and do just what is needed to survive, risking long-term competitiveness?
Or will you take a leap of faith and keep investing in innovation, risking cash problems if the economy does not recover quickly enough?
Perhaps there is a middle ground.

## ☝Are Aerodynamics Essential?

### Aero-centered products

There is little use for planes or drones that don't fly.
So ignoring aerodynamics when it's at the core of your product is not an option.
That's an easy choice.

But in reality, it is a lot more complex:
if you're in racing, for example, will you maybe spend 30% less time on aerodynamics?
The car will still go around the track, but perhaps just 0.1 seconds slower per lap.
And that plane might still fly, but just 2% less efficient. Or less safe...

Most of these consequences are manageable in the short term.
But if your competitor chose the other route, to double-down on development, you'll be losing ground in the mid-to-long term.

### Aero-related products

For products where aerodynamics are not at the core, the story is different.
If you're designing a bycicle helmet for amateur use, ignoring the aerodynamics might not be such a big deal.
But then again, in such commodity markets, aerodynamics is one of the few remaining aspects to create differentiation for your product.
Not taking aerodynamics into account might make your product look more average, less special.

## 🌬 Option 1 - the Wind Tunnel

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/windtunnelcentre.jpg"
 alt="One of the wind tunnels of Deutsche WindGard"
 width="1275"
 height="337"
/>

It's no secret that despite our simulation platform we have a love affair with wind tunnels.
They are a fantastic tool to get fast, real-life data.

But the track to get to that data can be lengthy and expensive:

- Make your 3D design
- Build & construct a prototype
- Build a test-plan (what to measure, at what angle, ...)
- Instrument the prototype
- Move the prototype & the team to the wind tunnel
- Run the tests
- Post-process the data

In this scenario, you could reduce the team size present at the wind tunnel test.
Or double-down on rapid prototyping techniques to reduce throughput time & cost of the prototype.
Or perhaps dig-up some of your old prototypes and tweak those, to learn more about new concepts you are creating.
Or maybe you could even follow the test remotely if tasks are described properly to the wind tunnel team?

On the strategic side, there may be opportunities too:
wind tunnels are known to be booked for months in advance, having you queue for a slot.
Some may still have their first free spot only in 2021, but others seem to be having open slots.
This could be your time to get ahead of your industry competitors, or perhaps the situation can have an impact on the cost of using a wind tunnel.


## 🏎Option 2 - Track Testing

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/tracktesting.jpg"
 alt="A Formula One car on the track with sensors mounted"
 width="1000"
 height="667"
/>

If you're in the racing business, track testing is key:
lap times & rider feedback are the final judgement of your development work as a team.

But track testing has its limitations - you need a moving laboratory!
That means equipping your motorbike or racecar with sensors and data logging/transmitting capabilities.

Here, too, you may get creative:
with empty race tracks, your test slot just became available.
Or perhaps you could rent the equipment instead of buying it.
A variable cost per test might be easier to digest for the finance department compared to a big investment.

## ⌨Option 3 - Simulation

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/simulation-lamborghini.jpg"
 alt="A Formula One car on the track with sensors mounted"
 width="627"
 height="370"
/>

You might get hit in the face (if you're lucky) by the company's budget controller if you ask for a 50.000\$ CFD (computational fluid dynamics) license these days. As an engineer, it can be extremely frustrating to sit around & wait for a license to become available.
I remember the first thing we would do when arriving at the office (when I was designing gearboxes 12 years ago) was to open up Inventor (the CAD package we used back then). Why? Because then you were sure you had a license to continue work for the rest of the day.
But you'll still have to pay your engineers, whether they have a license available or not.
So cutting back on licenses is not as trivial as it may seem.

So, then, what's the alternative?
Well, over the past years we've seen many software providers implement cloud-versions of their software.
Sometimes they work with tokens, sometimes it's a lease, ...
Whatever the flavour is, the key point is that you can dynamically tweak the software needs to your team size & project phase.

- You don't need to run simulations this month? Perfect, then you don't need to pay.
- You need to run 50 simulations next month? Perfect as well, the scalable cloud is ready for you.
 An added bonus is that you don't need to invest in hardware to run all those simulations!

But even if you're not an engineer, this approach can pay off rapidly:
pay-per-use platforms allow you to select exactly the app you need, whether that is a thermal, mechanical or fluid simulation.

Or you can choose an app tailored to your skillset:
if, for example, you don't have an engineering or aerodynamics background and you still want accurate & fast aerodynamics results,
you can opt for a platform like <ExternalLink href="https://airshaper.com/#workflow">AirShaper</ExternalLink> that has the whole process automated.

## 💲OPEX replaces CAPEX

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/opex-vs-capex.jpg"
 alt="The difference between CAPEX-based and OPEX-based approaches"
 width="1204"
 height="643"
/>

In general, it's difficult for companies to invest in the current economic climate.
The return on investment is very uncertain and unless you're Apple, you probably don't have the cash to take that leap of faith.

So that favours options where you pay per use:

- Wind tunnels with flexible booking systems, remote test-it-for-you services, ...
- Tracks which offer measuring equipment for rent, track-side assistance per hour and perhaps even test-drivers on-demand?
 (I'll get shot for that last suggestion :) )
- Software solutions with a pay-per-use model, without any initial or monthly fee

In more general terms:
OPEX (Operating Expenditures, which vary "per iteration") could be more interesting than CAPEX (Capital Expenditures) in these times.

## 💡Conclusion

The conclusion of this article goes beyond aerodynamics:
not innovating will save you some cash in the short term but will cost you in terms of performance & market position in the long term.

So how can you still innovate in this uncertain climate?
Look for solutions that favour OPEX over CAPEX and pay as you go to limit the risk!

The art of bootstrapping for startups could soon become common practice for corporates :)

More information:

<ExternalLink href="https://airshaper.com/#workflow">
 How AirShaper Works
</ExternalLink>
 

<ExternalLink href="https://airshaper.com/pricing">
 AirShaper Pay-per-Use Pricing
</ExternalLink>
 

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com/simulations/new?accuracy=regula">
 Run your own Simulation
</ExternalLink>

Aerodynamic Innovation in Times of COVID-19 - How to stay healthy in the long term without burning your cash

## 📢Introduction

When I made the transition from university to industry, I was truly shocked:

no longer did I have time to solve problems purely from a technical point of view with fairly large amounts of time to do so.
Things had to be delivered within someone else's planning and very often that lead to good but non-perfect solutions.
After being trained for 5 years to pursue mechanical perfection, I had to deliver 5 solutions which were "good enough" instead of 1 perfect solution.

I felt dirty :)

## ⌚A Time and Place for Everything

Truth is though, if you zoom out, this makes sense in many cases:
rapidly creating 5 different designs and testing them (physically or digitally) will create a lot more insight than perfecting one.
You're still chasing that technical solution, just like at university, but the path that leads to it is very different.

One doesn't exclude the other:
over time I have come to appreciate that there is a time and place for everything.
If you're working on fundamental research, you need to work extremely in-depth to make sure the foundations are correct - after all, real-world applications & products will be built on top of your research at some point.
But if you're working on those real-world applications & products, you'll be faced with rapidly changing market demands, customer desires, product release cycles and much more. So taking the time to perfect things might leave you with a perfect yet outdated product by the time you launch.

It's the undeniable, perverse nature of our economic system :)

## ☝My First Encounter with Aerodynamics & CFD

My first encounter with aerodynamics was a gut-feeling based sports car I designed in my free time, featuring internal & external air channels to generate lateral aerodynamic forces. No tools involved, just love for physics. Without tools, I could only go a certain length and although the concept got patented and I got to talk to Ferrari (who referenced to my patent in theirs) & Pagani (I got to meet them at their office!), the project died.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/aquilo-patent.jpg"
 alt="Patented Concept for Lateral Aerodynamic Force Generation"
 width="621"
 height="340"
/>

Later, when I started running actual CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulations and wind tunnel tests when working at Belgian engineering agency Voxdale, this fed (and corrected) my internal physics engine. Feeling real wind, seeing turbulence on your computer screen, putting tufts on a car, ... it all helps.

Back then, we worked with FloEFD by Mentor Graphics. It's based on a modified k-epsilon RANS solver - not top of the line but not too basic either and very user friendly. Exactly what we needed in terms of accuracy versus cost versus throughput time for all the race car, drone and building projects we were doing.

## ⛓50 Shades of CFD

So why, then, was FloEFD bought by Siemens? They already had StarCCM+, a top of the line software package widely used in automotive for example. Well, each software package has its unique trade-off: StarCCM+ has all the tricks & options you need to achieve that ultimate accuracy, but you'll see some black snow before you get to the good stuff & produce reliable results. FloEFD, on the other hand, is much more accessible, and you'll still be able to work with it if you haven't used it for a year and want to jump back in.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/shades-of-cfd.jpg"
 alt="Many CFD software solutions exist in the market"
 width="1619"
 height="431"
/>

Siemens is not the only one offering a range of CFD software packages though. Dassault Systèmes, who also offer Solidworks, merged Exa Powerflow, another highly-reputed aerodynamic simulation software package, into their offering. Whether it's StarCCM+, Powerflow, Ansys Fluent or Altair Hyperworks, they each have their own blend of user features, cost, ease of use and so on - all of them aimed at skilled CFD engineers. Choosing a package comes down to your budget, obviously, but also your skillset, timeline and most of all application.

## ⚡Common Challenges

In the case of AirShaper, that application is external aerodynamics. The field of many fascinating product developments such as cars, trucks, buses, planes, drones, sports equipment and even athletes! As you can imagine, the aerodynamic skills of the users performing simulations vary tremendously, from "never touched CFD software before" to "I eat CFD for breakfast" (CFD not meaning "crunchy fried doughnut" if you were wondering 😎)

Whatever the background or skill of the user, they all need to cope with similar challenges:

- **Getting the 3D model**:
 3D files are often not available for a racecar (manufacturers don't exactly hand those out), let alone a 3D model of an athlete!
- **Fixing the 3D model**:
 Very often, depending on the software, a 3D geometry needs to be made watertight (meaning all gaps & holes need to be closed). A tedious, time-consuming task.
- **Setup complexity**:
 Setting up a simulation usually requires a sound degree of expertise, as there are literally dozens of parameters that can influence the simulation stability and results
- **Meshing**:
 Meshing is the key to a proper CFD simulation (although some interesting meshless solutions are becoming more popular).
 It's one thing to get a proper initial mesh, it's another thing to refine it properly during the simulation (something called adaptive mesh refinement)
- **Hardware**:
 Unless your name is Adrian Newey, you'll need a computer to solve your aerodynamics problem.
 With ever-rising demands on accuracy, the hardware needed is often comprised of tens or hundreds of cores and Gigabytes or even Terrabytes of RAM memory.
- **Post-processing**:
 Once a simulation is done, you'll need to process the results into data and visuals that are easy to understand.
 Only then can you start to understand the problem after which you can redesign & re-calculate new design options.

## 🔗General Purpose or Application Specific

If you're running all types of simulations on different applications (like a consultancy agency) you may favour a general-purpose CFD software package.
This will allow you to apply thermal simulations for one project, compressible flow for another, and so on.
If you're an expert, this is a really cool option, because you can control every single parameter:
You're an expert, you know what to do. You're in charge of 3D model fixing, meshing, solving, post-processing and so on.

Or, you can go for an application-specific CFD software package:
there are solutions tailored to aviation, supersonic flows, and - you guessed it - incompressible external aerodynamics, our playing field at AirShaper.
The cost of such packages is typically much lower as you don't have all the options. And setup us much easier, as unnecessary features are removed.

## ⏲The Right Time for the Right CFD Software

You could also consider combining software packages, especially in bigger firms:
as a designer, you can be working on initial concepts which are then, after months of work, sent to the engineers for review.
After fixing the 3D model (if you're the designer, you may spend some weeks on this), they'll run simulations and let you know what and where to change the design.

The good thing is that each person does what they are best at: the designers design and the engineers crunch numbers. The bad thing is that this creates isolation & underappreciation for each other's domain. The designers get annoyed when something needs to be changed because of the aerodynamics and the engineers complain that the designers keep suggesting unrealistic shapes. So giving the designers an easier-to-use version of that aerodynamics software solution could work miracles.

Also, this greatly reduces the development time:
using a fast & flexible simulation tool in the early stages of design quickly sets you off on the right track. That avoids months of rework compared to when you only run the first simulation after months of work, only to find out there are serious issues.

## ❔Why AirShaper

So why, then, did we start AirShaper?
Well, we like StarCCM+, Ansys Fluent, Exa Powerflow, Altair Hyperworks and so on. But just like I was struggling myself to get my hands on some initial feedback of the car I was designing 12 years ago, so are others.

An easy to use, online platform that:

- works with non-watertight 3D models (including 3D scan files)
- takes automated control of all simulation parameters
- automatically creates & adaptively refines the mesh
- drops a simulation report in your mailbox when it's done
- costs less for a one-year subscription than the yearly maintenance cost of a general-purpose CFD software

really makes the complex domain of aerodynamics accessible to a much broader audience.

And, interestingly enough, we also have a good deal of CFD experts using AirShaper as well:
yes, they still love to control everything, but quickly firing 10 comparative simulations in the cloud at the very early stages leaves their hands free to work on more customized simulations for other projects.

## 💡Conclusion

All of the software packages discussed above have their right of being:
when extreme accuracy levels are required, you simply need a CFD expert to control the buttons and a software package with... enough buttons.
But there is a whole parallel universe where fast and accurate simulations greatly help to speed up design work, increase insight and even enable companies without previous CFD simulation expertise to inject some aero-magic into their products.

That's why we run AirShaper.
And we're proud to complement the big boys like StarCCM+, Powerflow and Fluent.

More information:

<ExternalLink href="https://airshaper.com/#workflow">
 How AirShaper Works
</ExternalLink>
 

<ExternalLink href="gttps://www.airshaper.com/pricing">
 AirShaper Pricing
</ExternalLink>
 

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com/simulations/new?accuracy=regular">
 Run your own Simulation
</ExternalLink>

Why AirShaper - Complementing the Big Boys - Ansys Fluent, Siemens StarCCM+, Exa PowerFlow and others

## About the Author

Dr. Rainer Buffo is the CEO of <ExternalLink href="https://www.betterflow.com">"Betterflow GmbH"</ExternalLink>, a company specialized in optimizing the aerodynamics of trucks and trailers to reduce fuel / battery energy consumption. Next to their existing range of fuel-cutting add-ons for trucks, they also work on & lobby for more drastic changes to the shape of future trucks - Enjoy the blog post!

## About the Tesla Semi

Heavy-duty trucking is a conservative business: every minute and every dollar/euro counts and margins are low. There's definitely interest to reduce fuel or battery energy consumption, as this directly impacts the profitability of trucking companies. Our starting point today is the existing truck-trailer layout which is optimized around businesses, daily operations and regulations but suffers from an unattended aerodynamic health condition. But with the right treatment using effective add-ons and adjustments there is room for innovation and efficiency leaps. And there’s so much more to achieve!

So we were thrilled to see Tesla shocking the industry by presenting an extremely streamlined truck. It opened up the minds of people to rethink what could be possible and a drag coefficient of 0.35 is an impressive achievement.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/tesla-semi-drag.jpg"
 alt="The announcement of the 0.35 drag coefficient of the Tesla Semi"
 width="2816"
 height="982"
/>

One thing Tesla didn't really touch was the trailer (which makes sense, as they focused on electrifying the truck). Yes, the truck was optimized to deliver clean airflow to the trailer it is pulling, but from there on, it is back to usual business with a boxy trailer.

## Making the Truck & Trailer play together

We work on optimizing existing trailers every day, as much as we can within the newest regulations: we add flaps at the rear to help close the wake, we optimize the top to better accept incoming air from the truck and we "clean up" the flow underneath the truck. And that's where it gets interesting.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/addons.gif"
 alt="Add-ons for the drag reduction of trucks"
 width="1200"
 height="802"
/>

In parallel, we're designing the ultimate aero-truck to make a mark on the (road)map in terms of what is realistically possible for truck-trailer aerodynamics in the future. It's called the "2032 Future Truck". When you make the truck & trailer work together you can really go far beyond the 0.35 Cd value of the Tesla Semi!

## Bottoms up!

One key aspect of optimizing the airflow of a truck is to look at how the airflow moves underneath. The traditional train of thought (pun intended) is to shield the sides of the trailer to prevent flow from moving in and out from underneath the trailer / hitting the tires. That makes sense, as the truck has already pushed that air out of the way and the trailer can hide in this wake. But that means there is a "pocket of air" below the trailer being dragged along, virtually increasing the "frontal area" or "cross-section".

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/pocket.jpg"
 alt="A Pocket of Air underneath the Trailer"
 width="1326"
 height="523"
/>

In our Future 2032 truck, we have completely redesigned the truck to allow for air go dive underneath the cabin, between the wheels. This channel is then continued underneath the trailer, where the air can flow freely between the left & right wheels (which are shielded to reduce drag).

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/air-channel.jpg"
 alt="A channel beneath the truck & trailer to allow airflow"
 width="1078"
 height="523"
/>

Together with front & rear guiding vanes, we can create a high-speed flow all the way from the front of the truck to the rear of the trailer. Comparing to an indicative 3D model of the Tesla Semi, first CFD (computational fluid dynamics) estimates indicate that **the drag coefficient is almost 30% lower than the Tesla Semi**. Some might call this Black Magic! We think it's the next go-to treatment for the airflow around trucks.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/betterflow-concept.gif"
 alt="The Betterflow Future Truck 2032 Concept"
 width="640"
 height="360"
/>

## From Concept to Reality

We realize this concept cannot be made within existing road transport standards & habits. And maybe it will not look exactly like this in 2032. But we are working hard on creating awareness on its potential in different sector groups and regulatory organizations to pave the way for the necessary changes. Betterflow wants to make a substantial difference in terms of fuel emissions and battery energy consumption!

More information:

<ExternalLink href="https://www.betterflow.com">
 Betterflow Website
</ExternalLink>
 

<ExternalLink href="https://airshaper.com/videos/cutting-truck-bus-emissions-the-vecto-airdrag-tool/s2QyP6n4Zxs">
 Cutting Truck & Bus Emissions - The Vecto Airdrag Tool
</ExternalLink>
 

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com/simulations/new?accuracy=regular">
 Run your own Simulation
</ExternalLink>

Looking beyond the Tesla Semi - The Betterflow Future Truck 2032 Concept

## Removing the pilot 🛩

As if developing their own four-seat passenger aircraft wasn't hard enough, CFD Consultants GmbH are now working on an unmanned version of their baby.

They formed a network of aviation specialists to develop an innovative four-seat passenger aircraft called the TR230. After years of hard work, the prototype of the TR230 is about to successfully finish the flight test program. And already, they are working on their next move – they co-founded iViation GmbH to bring UF230 into the market: a freighter version to carry goods … without a pilot! The first certified autonomous cargo aircraft worldwide!

## Fast Conceptual Comparison 👁

To carry as much as possible, the cargo volume needed to increase to a minimum of 3m3. Making it wider reduces the usable wingspan and thus lowers maximum take-off weight, making it higher affects landing & take-off behaviour and sizing constraints, ... With a multi-variable problem like this, fast iterations on the global shape are crucial to gain insights & make crucial design choices.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/body-width.jpg"
 alt="AirShaper simulations performed on different body sizes"
 width="1800"
 height="731"
/>

In a first phase, they used AirShaper to compare multiple versions in terms of aircraft drag for a given (required) lift performance of the plane. With minimal effort & in a very short time, they were able to conclude that the wide-body fuselage had some operational advantages apart from decent aerodynamic performance.

## Finetuning the Details ⚙

In a second phase, they went on to perform custom simulations including the propeller, cooling airflow, flap configurations and so on, all featuring high-end boundary layer resolution & advanced turbulence modelling aimed at fine-tuning the aerodynamics and obtaining flight loads for certification. They ended up with a flap design that provides high lift coefficients and leads to outstanding short field qualities of UF230.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/cfd-on-flaps.jpg"
 alt="Close-up of the flow through and around the flaps"
 width="1837"
 height="890"
/>

## Conclusion 💡

In conclusion, using the right tools at the right time can really help to speed up the pace at which you gain insight. And that directly shortens the design cycle!

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com">
 Start your own simulation here
</ExternalLink>

World's First Certified Autonomous Cargo Aircraft - How a group of passionate aviation specialists is developing the first autonomous cargo plane.

## Introduction

The top 3 question we receive from students are:

- How can I build a career in aerodynamics?
- Do you have an open position at AirShaper / know of another company with open positions?
- Can you support our Formula Student team?

In this blog we'll zoom in on the first & second question:
👣Which steps do you need to take to lang a job in the fascinating world of aerodynamics!

## Education 🎒

Yes, this is important: if you're applying for a job, your education matters. Most (mechanical) engineering bachelor or master tracks will include at least an introduction to fluid mechanics, as it's crucial to many engineering problems (damper design, hydrodynamics, HVAC - heating, ventilation and air conditioning, ...). Or, you can follow a master really dedicated to the field of fluid dynamics, often with a choice between experimental (real-life testing) and/or computational (computer simulations). Of course, the choice of the institute is important: some, like the TUDelft in the Netherlands, have a superb reputation and that will help you shine on your CV. Finishing such a master is of course fantastic, but still, you will not be entirely unique (unless you were the only student to follow that course, in which case you may want to question the course itself 😎).

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/tudelft.jpg"
 alt="Courses on Aerodynamics at the TUDelft, Netherlands"
 width="1577"
 height="668"
/>

There is something else which is, at least in my opinion, equally important:
self-study.
Companies will appreciate & sometimes even demand the skills & knowledge you gained through your studies, but they will in many cases look for something extra, something that sets you apart.
If you can talk at length about the go-kart you pimped aerodynamically in your backyard, or how you spent long evenings programming your own CFD (computational fluid dynamics) code, this can really set you apart.

## Exposure 🗣

You can have plenty of skills, but you'll have to make them known to the world. Applying for open positions is an obvious way of doing so. But you could also build a network, even before you graduate, in the aerodynamics scene: write a blog, write stoties on Linkedin, post aero stuff on X, ... let the world know you have a burning passion for aerodynamics.

It's not a straight path to success, and it's difficult to gauge the "return on investment", but you may be surprised by how you can sometimes end up talking to interesting people. And don't let anything hold you back: even if the people you want to talk to are senior people at respectable companies, just give it a try: add them on Linkedin, send them that interesting paper you did on your go-kart.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/willem_toet.jpg"
 alt="Willem Toet - Sauber"
 width="1044"
 height="687"
/>

Last but not least, don't underestimate the physical world:
Motorsport fairs for example (like the ones in Birmingham or Cologne) are a great place to find & meet very interesting people. I've had multiple encounters with Willem Toet, for example. He's a legend in terms of aerodynamics, has worked at Sauber for years, but is one of the most charming & accessible people in the entire racing scene. He & others like him often give interesting (free) talks at such events. After the talk? Just walk up there and tell an interesting story that sticks! As to date, there is no app that will replace the quality of a face-to-face meeting 😇

## Dedicated channels⚡

The first person ever to start working at AirShaper came to us via a job we had placed on <ExternalLink href="https://www.cfd-online.com/Jobs/">CFD Online</ExternalLink>, a specialist forum dedicated to computational fluid dynamics. In a similar way, but then dedicated to aerodynamics rather than CFD, we've created the <ExternalLink href="https://www.airshaper.com/jobs/landing">AirShaper Job Board</ExternalLink>. On this free & open platform, people can create a profile to be discovered and companies can post vacancies.

## Indirect paths 🏎

If you're dreaming of a job in Formula 1, don't over-focus on it.

First of all, being responsible for the aerodynamics of an entire car at a small company might be more rewarding than working on barge board number 3 on a Formula One car.

Second of all, an indirect path might actually be the more efficient & interesting one. Even if you start out working on drones, you may still end up at a race team later on. They might even value your expertise from a different sector.

Just stay open to interesting things that cross your path, instead of focusing solely on that ultimate goal. For all you know, you may discover another domain you find even more interesting!

## Perspective 📷

A cheesy one, but don't forget to live :)
Working on something you're passionate about is great, but please do balance work with other interesting things to do - it'll feed your creativy and keep you fresh!

## Conclusion 💡

Besides proper education, applying your passion to private projects and talking about it to people around you and people in aerodynamics scene can really make a difference. Go beyond the text books that others have read as well and play around, experiment and enjoy aerodynamics - by doing so, you'll come across interesting people & opportunities in life!

Building a Career in Aerodynamics - From learning CFD to wind tunnel testing to feeling the physics to landing a job

## About the Author

In this blog post, Laurent Bohez of Vault Engineering runs us through his personal dream to combine classic looks with cutting edge technology!

## Background

Cars designed in the 1960s lack many performance-increasing features. The way their chassis have been conveived for example, is completely different from today’s performance cars. And that’s not to mention aerodynamics – a field I didn’t realize was so crucial to performance before I started this project.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/ferrari_p4_rear_view.jpg"
 alt="Ferrari P4 Style Race Car"
 width="1387"
 height="867"
/>

I’ve been working with old-timers my entire life, mainly improving mechanical parts – changing these really had a tangile impact on the driving qualities of the car. But this project takes place at a different level with much bigger expectations. Building a high performance racing car is art, every car fanatic knows that. The real art is to make the different physics work together - matching the aerodynamic balance to the weight balance for example.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/modern_lemans_race_cars.jpg"
 alt="Modern LeMans Race Cars"
 width="1387"
 height="924"
/>

## Matching virtual and real world

The first step was to analyze the airflow on the original car. Very basic, no rotating wheels or different heights, just pure form. This is crucial to know where to start in terms of improvements. A small adjustment can make a big difference, but I always say: first we have to understand what is happening before we can turn it into true knowledge.
After the calculations with airshaper it was very clear what we were dealing with: huge amounts of lift on the nose and a negligible amount of downforce on the tail. And if you look at old images from the 24H of Le Mans you can indeed see how the nose lifts itself at high speeds. It must have been really terrifying to drive this machine!
I am a huge supporter of simulation software but I also like to compare results with reality. For example, I spoke to a person who raced the real cars for years as well as replica’s these days together with David Piper. I was so excited that he told me the simulation values depicting lift on the nose corresponded perfectly with what he had felt in these cars. A huge step forward! Now the real work can begin: bringing harmony and balance to these iconic cars.

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/david_piper_ferrari_p4.jpg"
 alt="David Piper in his Ferrari P4"
 width="564"
 height="375"
/>

## Underfloor Aerodynamics

Like many, I’m a big fan of Adrian Newey. Seeing his latest creation, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, I came up with some great ideas together with airshaper. What classic cars really lack is proper underfloor aerodynamics. And as this doesn’t impact the classic look of the bodywork on top, we can really increase downforce without visual compromise. Support arms are now placed much higher to create room underneath special aerodynamics wizardry. We might even succeed at getting the front down force we need without using a front splitter!

<ImageWithCaption
 src="/assets/images/underfloor_aerodynamics.jpg"
 alt="Underfloor aerodynamics"
 width="1228"
 height="483"
/>

For more information, visit <ExternalLink href="https://www.vault.engineering/project-p4/">"Prototyping the Prototype"</ExternalLink> 

<ExternalLink href="https://app.airshaper.com">
 Start your own simulation here
</ExternalLink>

High-Tech Classic Motorsport - Building High-Performance Race Cars with an Iconic Shape


## Passion for Aerodynamics

Yes, running a startup is hard work. Very hard work. But we started this journey straight from the heart - based on our Passion for Aerodynamics. Through this blog, we want to (re)connect with that fire, by discussing science beyond the numbers: why aerodynamics are cool, how this field helps to shape (part of) our world and who the people are behind some of the world's coolest cars, drones, buildings and more!

## Up close & personal

No matter how fast or efficient, numbers and science only come to life when they affect your experience and emotions. In our very personal case, we started [designing a sports car](/cases/aquilo-patented-aerodynamic-concept-car) about 12 years ago - AirShaper didn't even exist. Passion drove us and by chance, it led to AirShaper. This blog will cover the drive behind projects - which we've already felt when interviewing others, like Lowie Vermeersch (the design genius behind the [Ferrari 458](/videos/lowie-vermeersch-1-ferrari-458-to-lightyear-one/o4Yv5hynV1Q), [Lightyear One](/videos/lowie-vermeersch-2-the-lightyear-one-solar-car/TKHjyC_L0OM) and [Dallara Stradale](/videos/lowie-vermeersch-talks-4-the-dallara-stradale/c7NyvCluYVc)). But we won't be talking just about cars - we'll bring you the stories behind drones, ships and more!

## Open Community

This blog will be open to guest writers - customers and non-customers - talking about their love affair with aerodynamics. So if you feel you have an interesting story to share about a project or product where the airflow has made a difference, or an experience that gave you goose bumps - [let us know](mailto:info@airshaper.com)!

Enjoy!!


AirShaper BlogPassion for aerodynamics

Aerodynamic Innovation in Times of COVID-19 - How to stay healthy in the long term without burning your cash

Wouter Remmerie

Why AirShaper - Complementing the Big Boys - Ansys Fluent, Siemens StarCCM+, Exa PowerFlow and others

Wouter Remmerie

Looking beyond the Tesla Semi - The Betterflow Future Truck 2032 Concept

Dr. Rainer Buffo

World's First Certified Autonomous Cargo Aircraft - How a group of passionate aviation specialists is developing the first autonomous cargo plane.

Wouter Remmerie

Building a Career in Aerodynamics - From learning CFD to wind tunnel testing to feeling the physics to landing a job

Wouter Remmerie

High-Tech Classic Motorsport - Building High-Performance Race Cars with an Iconic Shape

Laurent Bohez

Passion For Aerodynamics - The AirShaper blog about anything related to airflow!

Wouter Remmerie

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