There exist few more iconic landmarks in the world than the Eiffel Tower. The wrought-iron structure stretches 324 metres tall above the streets of Paris, dwarfing the surrounding buildings. However, beyond its imposing size lies a storied history and an association with aerodynamics that endures to this day.
The Eiffel Tower’s creator, Mr. Gustave Eiffel, was an avid student of aerodynamics. As noted by J. Black, “Travellers flying into Paris would not connect the famous 100-year-old landmark with the aerodynamics of their streamlined modern aeroplane.” And yet Gustave Eiffel has contributed so much to the study of aerodynamics that we now take for granted.
Building his very own wind tunnel in 1909, he would study the effects of wind and various aircraft wing designs. His most famous project, the Eiffel Tower itself, was often used as a proving ground for his various theories.
He established that the lift produced by an air foil was the result of a reduction of air pressure above the wing rather than an increase of pressure acting on the under surface.
His research and contributions did not go unnoticed. When presenting Gustave with the Samuel P. Langley Medal for Aerodynamics, Alexander Graham Bell said of him:
“His writings upon the resistance of the air have already become classical. His researches, published in 1907 and 1911, on the resistance of the air in connection with aviation, are especially valuable. They have given engineers the data for designing and constructing flying machines upon sound, scientific principles.”
His legacy in aerodynamics, and thus in aviation certainly endures. The next time you visit Paris and see his most famous work in all it’s glory, remember how it contributed to the development of the very aircraft that got you there