At the leading edge of innovative solutions to the aerospace challenges of today and tomorrow

 

Photo of an area of the GAFL Lab that features the simulated cockpit and a meeting table with chairs.

Welcome!

The General Aviation Flight Laboratory – or GAFL – is an engineering research lab located within the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Wichita State University. The GAFL specializes in the research & development of innovative concepts & solutions in the areas of aerospace control systems, aviation safety technologies, and flight simulation.

 

 
 

At the forefront of aerospace controls research

Our research seeks to advance aerospace technology and aviation safety through the development of novel, innovative, and cutting-edge solutions to present and future challenges in the aerospace engineering ecosystem. The GAFL specializes in the research of adaptive and intelligent flight control systems, technologies for predicting aircraft loss-of-control, virtual- and augmented-reality guidance technologies for the cockpit, and smart sensing methodologies for advanced-shape morphing wings. 

State-of-the-art facilities

The GAFL operates its own full-scale research-oriented flight simulator, which provides the unique in-house capability to perform pilot-in-the-loop simulated flight testing of existing and futuristic aircraft concepts, ground testing of novel aircraft control systems, and validation and verification of technologies prior to implementation or actual flight testing. 

Wichita State University: Where innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, and technology make the future

Our lab complements the plethora of research facilities that make up Wichita State University and the College of Engineering. Situated on campus is the National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR) and the Walter H. Beech wind tunnel. Additionally, the new Innovation Campus comprises an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories, a community makerspace, and mixed-use areas that is the next-generation college campus. These facilities are boosted by the rich history of aviation in the Wichita area, which has long been branded the "Air Capital of the World". 

Forging ahead and pushing the envelope

Working collaboratively with industry and government, the GAFL is continually exploring new frontiers in the space of adaptive control, aerospace safety, and flight simulation - we strive to develop the state-of-the-art in the field. Please explore our website and find out more about the work that we do!

 
 
 

Check Out Our Flight Simulator

Find out more about our full-scale research-oriented flight simulator, which we use for verification and validation of novel control systems theories, proving of augmented-reality cockpit guidance technologies, and testing of experimental aircraft concepts.

GAFL Flight Simulator

  

More About Us

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