The Wind Tunnel University What is the WTU?

The Langley Wind Tunnel Enterprise (WTE) at LaRC (see references 4-6) recently established the need to train its workforce more methodically to retain and foster the skills required for preserving its wind tunnel knowledge. To accomplish this goal, the Langley WTU was established.7 The goals of this corporate university are to retain and grow the corporate knowledge that is being lost rather quickly due to attrition. An other goal is to grow the knowledge in advanced manufacturing, production, quality, and system tools to make LaRC more business-like and cost-effective. To accomplish this change, a lean management structure may be applied to the Langley WTU.