Our History
Since our first supersonic test in 1952, we have contributed to the evolution of the worldwide aerospace industry.
The 1950s were an exciting time for aerospace development. The first aircraft powered by a ramjet engine was developed in France and flown in 1949. The first turbofan engine entered production in the late 1950s. And the U.S. established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). On the political front, the U.S. was entering the Cold War which sparked military research and development of rocket propulsion systems, supersonic military aircraft, and supersonic ram jet engines.Key Events
1952
FluiDyne is awarded a five year contract for inlet testing during the design of a supersonic military engine.1955
FluiDyne performs first exhaust nozzle test. This test was commissioned by GE in support of their development of the J-85 engine. Exhaust nozzle tests are still commonly performed today because the exhaust nozzle of an engine is one of the most important elements for producing thrust. 1958
FluiDyne designs its first trisonic wind tunnel facility (outside of its laboratory) for speeds of Mach 0.5 - Mach 5. The boundaries of aerospace development continued to expand in the 1960s. The Apollo program put the first person on the moon. The Tupolev Tu-144 and Concorde made supersonic travel a reality. High bypass turbofan engines were introduced in the mid-sixties, offering better fuel efficiency and reduced noise.Key Events
1961
FluiDyne builds its own hypersonic wind tunnel capable of testing up to Mach 14. This tunnel is still in use today.1962
FluiDyne begins hypersonic sub-scale testing on several different (shuttle type) re-entry vehicles in support of the Apollo mission. Because of these tests, its hypersonic wind tunnel has been designated as a "national treasure."1967
Aero Systems Engineering is founded. Company founders, who were engineers themselves, designed an engine thrust stand, adapter, and control & instrumentation system for their first customer, Airwork Corporation.1969
ASE designs and builds the first test cell for maintaining high bypass turbofan engines. This test cell was the first of its kind outside OEM production facilities. The 1970s mark the introduction of the widebody Boeing 747 and McDonnell Douglas DC-10 as the standard aircraft for international travel. A principal technology of these aircraft was the high-bypass turbofan engine. Around this same time the CFM56 engine series was gaining popularity with both Boeing and Airbus. Worldwide initiatives to develop in-country aerospace design and development began. Key Events
1973
ASE completes its first engine test facility in support of an industrial engine, the GE LM2500.1973
ASE designs and develops the first ever computerized engine overhaul test facility. Engine testing within this facility was controlled with ADAPS, ASE's first data acquisition system.1975
FluiDyne designs and supplies a 4' x 4' trisonic (Mach 0.5 - Mach 5) tunnel for Korea. This was FluiDyne's first international project.1976
Celtech Corporation is founded and begins designing and manufacturing engine test systems for foreign and domestic militaries.1979
ASE Texas was formed to provide over thirty hush houses to the U.S. Air Force. Hush houses are facilities designed to allow on-wing engine testing. FluiDyne also participated in the design of a number of these facilities under contract to the U.S. Navy.1979
FluiDyne develops a new type of wind tunnel to achieve high Reynolds number transonic air flows. Subsequently, FluiDyne wins the contract to design the NASA Langley National Transonic Facility. This facility is still the only transonic wind tunnel in the world capable of achieving full scale Reynolds number simulation of a 747 size aircraft. The 1980s was the dawn of electronically controlled engines, commonly called "fly by wire" or FADEC engines. These engines offered better control than their mechanically controlled counterparts and were quickly adopted by airlines worldwide. The global demand for aerodynamic test facilities spiked in the '80s as countries continued to develop their own aerospace technologies. The U.S. created the Strategic Defense Initiative to develop ways to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles.Key Events
1984
The FluiDyne laboratory begins transition to electronic transducer-based pressure measurement for wind tunnel testing. FluiDyne was one of the early adopters of this technology.1985
FluiDyne conducts several "black" test programs in support of the Strategic Defense Initiative.1987
ASE designs a suite of test equipment in support of several small turbojet engines used on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). 1988
Celtech wins contract to deliver 104 engine test stands to the U.S. Air Force.1988
ASE designs its first serial communication interface for controlling FADEC engines using ARINC 429. This technology was integrated into their ADAPS and ASE200/300/400 data acquisition systems. The 1990s began the age of digital technology. Personal computers became an integral component for businesses. Engine OEMs released larger high bypass engines like the GE90, PW4000, and Trent series. The F100 and F110 engines were popular with militaries worldwide. Hypersonic technology continued to develop with the invention of scramjet engines.Key Events
1991
FluiDyne designs and builds the HEG Free Piston Shock Tunnel in Gottingen, Germany. To date, this facility is the highest enthalpy wind tunnel in the world.1993
Aero Systems Engineering acquires FluiDyne Engineering Corporation. ASE leverages FluiDyne's wind tunnel experience to advance their own engine test designs with improved flow conditioning and acoustic treatments.1994
FluiDyne designs and built the Kakuda scramjet facility in Japan.1995
ASE designs and supplies its first 13 meter facility and thrust stand capable of testing up to 150,000 pounds of thrust. This thrust stand was the first of its kind outside OEM engine production facilities. 1995
FluiDyne expands their testing capabilities to allow simultaneous measurement of exhaust nozzle noise and thrust. This capability was (and still is) a critical test for engine manufacturers looking to design quieter engines.1996
ASE introduces the ASE2000 data acquisition system. This was the first data acquisition system that used high speed network connections to control the engine and gather engine data, thus reducing 80% of the wiring needed on previous systems. In the years 2000 - 2010, heightened emphasis on environmental impacts caused engine OEMs to design their engines to be more fuel efficient and quieter. VLJs (very light jets) entered the market and gained popularity for point-to-point charter flights. Boeing began development of the 787 which is the first all-electric aircraft, including the engine start system.Key Events
2005
The FluiDyne laboratory develops a technology for determining the source of noise using an acoustic array. This technology is used to understand the noise pattern of an engine at cruise speed. That information is used to design a quieter fuselage for improved traveler comfort, among other things.2006
ASE installs the first test cell electric start system in support of the GEnx engine.2007
ASE Holdings acquires Celtech Corporation to offer a wider breadth of engine testing solutions. Celtech’s experience working with military engines pairs well with ASE's experience with commercial engines.2009
To support hypersonic ground testing advancement, FluiDyne designs and tests a regenerative clean air storage heater capable of reaching a higher temperature than previously possible.