This month's newsletter deals with unusual aerodynamic applications. Downforce for motorcycles and drag reduction using plasma control on big rigs are two examples of what at first glance sounds unusual, but make perfect sense once you delve into the motivation behind them, so read on.

Improve the Pressure Recovery Behind a Trailer using PlasmaGeometry courtesy of Nectar Design

Plasma-Powered Drag Reduction for Trucks

What if you could reduce the drag of a tractor-trailer truck by 23% and therefore reduce fuel consumption by 11%? Further, what if the only modification to the trailer was to apply some decals and hook up an electric power source? According to Plasma Stream Technologies these savings are viable if the plasma flow control they are developing fulfills its promise. Read more >>

Rise and Fall of Winglets in MotoGP

MotoGP is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing, just like Formula 1 is to car racing, so it should come as no surprise that aerodynamics is a key element for success. The focus in MotoGP was on drag reduction through streamlined fairings, helmets, and outfits. Then in 2015 Ducati added winglets to their front fairings to produce downforce. Read more >>