Quick Facts
Year Built: 1965
Historic Eligibility: National Register Eligible
Important Tests: Avionics, Aircraft Instrumentation, Boeing 737 Transport
Researchers at the Flight Instrumentation Facility were involved with avionics (aviation electronics), aircraft instrumentation systems and general aviation avionics technology. Studies were made of various measurement systems, using electronic components and devices, optical displays, radar systems and sensing techniques.
One major project used Boeing 737 transport aircraft outfitted with complex electronics equipment to increase productivity of air terminal and aircraft operations, with a goal of reducing noise in communities around airports while improving the safety of aircraft operations.
Microgravity crystal growth experiments for three of the shuttle flights were conducted in this facility. While the fundamental growth properties of crystals were studied, the more important objective was to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of crystals growth as affected by gravity. The general areas of research within this NASA program were biotechnology, combustion science, fluid physics, fundamental physics, and materials science.
The first floor once housed the Langley Visitor Center. Opened to the public in 1971, the visitor center housed displays and films on major Langley and NASA aeronautics and space programs. A Moon rock, Apollo command module, astronaut suit, Viking exhibit and other displays were featured here. The visitor center was moved in 1991 to the Virginia Air and Space Center in Hampton. Following the move of the visitor center, a satellite cafeteria was opened in a portion of the space to relieve summer crowding at the Center’s main cafeteria. A new technical conference center was approved in the former Visitor Center space at Building 1202A. The new conference center housed the Pearl Young Theater named after NACA’s first female professional who reported to work at Langley in 1922. In 2014, the Pearl Young Theater was relocated to the new Integrated Engineering Services Building (2102).
Search the NASA Technical Reports Server for additional information.
Other materials related to this facility include:
Announcement of new Visitor Center in 1970 issue of Langley Researcher
