Professor Nicholas Lawson

CEng FRAeS MSFTE

Professor in Aerodynamics and Airborne Measurement

National Flying Laboratory Centre

Contact Professor Nicholas Lawson

Tel: +44 (0) 1234 758245
Email: n.lawson@cranfield.ac.uk
ORCID

Areas of expertise

Aircraft Design
Flight Physics
Instrumentation, Sensors and Measurement Science

Background

Current activities

Teaching - Fundamentals of Aerodynamics, Transonic Flow Aerodynamics, Experimental Aerodynamics, Application of CFD to Aerodynamics and Aircraft Design, Principles of Flight and Flight Operations
Research - Flight Test Optical Instrumentation Methods, Full Aircraft Computational Fluid Dynamics Modelling, Applied Wind Tunnel Aerodynamics
Flying - Jetstream 31 Flying Laboratory, Bulldog and Slingsby Firefly Instruction.
Other - Deputy Accountable Manager EASA Ops, High Performance Computing Advisory Group
External - Member of the European Facility for Airborne Research (EuFAR) RAO&CG Working Group
Prizes - Queens Anniversary Prize winner Feb 2020 (https://www.queensanniversaryprizes.org.uk/)

Clients

DLR
Airbus UK
BAR
Jaguar Racing
MBDA
Rolls Royce plc
TotalSim Ltd

Articles In Journals

Conference Papers

Weber S, Southgate D, Mullaney K, James S, Rutherford R, Sharma A, Lone M, Kissinger T, Chehura E, Staines S, Pekmezci H, Fragonara LZ, Petrunin I, Williams D, Moulitsas I, Cooke A, Lawson N, Rosales W, Tatam R, Morrish P, Fairhurst M, Atack R, Bailey G & Morley S (2018) Bladesense – a novel approach for measuring dynamic helicopter rotor blade deformation. In: 44th European Rotorcraft Forum (ERF 2018), Delft, 18-21 September 2018.
Garry K, Di Pasquale D, Prince S & Lawson N (2018) The influence of SPIV data processing parameters on aircraft wing wake vortex assessment. In: 31st Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, 2018, Belo Horizonte, 9-14 September 2018.
Bennett C & Lawson N (2017) The aircraft spin - a mathematical approach and comparison to flight test. In: AIAA Flight Testing Conference: AIAA AVIATION Forum 2017, Denver, 5-9 June 2017.
Bennett C, Lawson N & Gautrey J (2017) Undercarriage drag prediction for a fixed undercarriage light aircraft. In: AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference, AIAA AVIATION Forum 2017, Denver, 5-9 June 2017.
Lawson NJ, Correia RNG, Partridge M, Staines SE, James SW, Gautrey JE & Tatam RP (2016) Adaption of fibre optic sensors and data processing systems for flight test on a Bulldog light aircraft. In: 36th European Telemetry and Test Conference – etc2016, Nuremberg, 10-12 May 2016.
Roberts L, Finnis M, Knowles K & Lawson N (2016) Forcing boundary-layer transition on an inverted airfoil in ground effect and at varying incidence. In: 34th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference, 2016, Washington, 13-17 June 2016.
Lawson NJ, Correia R, James SW, Tatam RP & Gautrey JE (2015) Development of fibre optic strain and pressure instruments for flight test on an aerobatic light aircraft. In: European Test and Telemetry Conference, Centre des Congrès Pierre Baudis, Toulouse, 9 June 2015.
Lawson NJ, Correia R, James SW, Tatam RP & Gautrey JE (2014) Cranfield University National Flying Laboratory facilities and flight test research. In: RAeS Aircraft Research Operations Conference, Hamilton Place, London, 3-5 November 2014.
Correia R, Staines SE, James SW, Lawson N, Garry K & Tatam RP (2014) Wind tunnel unsteady pressure measurements using a differential optical fiber Fabry-Perot pressure sensor. In: 23rd international conference on optical fibre sensors (OFS-23), 2014, Santander, 2-6 June 2014.
Moraris VM, Lawson NJ & Garry KP (2010) Aerodynamic and Performance Characteristics of a Passive Leading Edge Kruger Flap at Low Reynolds Numbers. In: RAeS Applied Aerodynamics Conference, University of Bristol, Bristol, 27 July 2010.
Politz C, Kreienfeld M, Boden F, Lawson N & Casella D (2010) Application of non-intrusive optical methods for in-flight flow visualisation. In: 40th Annual International Symposium of the Society of Flight Test Engineers 2009, Linkoping and Stockholm, 7-11 September 2009.
Estruch-Samper D, MacManus DG, Lawson NJ & Garry KP (2009) Hypersonic interference heating: a semi-empirical hot spot predictive approach. In: 16th AIAA/DLR/DGLR International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Bremen, 19-22 October 2009.
Chehura E, James SW, Tatam RP, Lawson N & Garry KP (2009) Pressure measurements on aircraft wing using phase-shifted fibre Bragg grating sensors. In: 20th international conference on optical fibre sensors (OFS-20), Edinburgh, 5-9 October 2009.
Ritchie SA, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2005) Application of particle image velocimetry to transonic cavity flows. In: 43rd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, 10 January 2005.
Lawson NJ, Arruda MP & Davidson MR (2005) Control of an Oscillatory Rectangular Cavity Jet Flow by Secondary Injection. In: International Conference on Jets, Wakes and Separated Flows, Toba-shi, Mie, 5 October 2005.
Wallace I, Lawson NJ, Harvey AR, Jones JDC & Moore AJ (2005) High-speed close-range photogrammetry for dynamic shape measurement. In: SPIE 26th International Congress on High-Speed Photography and Photonics, Alexandria, VA, 20-24 September 2004.
Tatum TA, Lawson NJ & Harrison NJ (2004) Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry: Application to a non-Newtonian Flow Field Generated by a Sedimenting Sphere. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Symposium on Applications of Laser Techniques to Fluid Mechanics, Lisbon, 8 July 2004.
Arruda MP, Lawson NJ & Davidson MR (2004) Experimental and Numerical Modelling of an Oscillatory Jet Thrust Vectoring System. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Symposium on Applications of Laser Techniques to Fluid Mechanics, Lisbon, 8 July 2004.
Strachan RK, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2004) A CFD and Experimental Study of an Ahmed Reference Model. In: SAE World Congress 2004, Detroit, United States of America, 8-11 March 2004.
Ritchie SA, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2004) Non-intrusive measurement of transonic flow in cavities. In: RAe Symposium on Internal Carriage and Weapon Release, Boscombe Down, 26 February 2004.
Lawson NJ & Harrison GM (2004) Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry: Application to a non-Newtonian Flow Field Generated by a Sedimenting Sphere. In: American Institute of Chemical Engineers 2004 Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas, 7 November 2004.
Harrison GM, Tatum JA & Lawson NJ (2004) A study of the sedimentation of a sphere near a vertical wall using three-dimensional PIV. In: ASME 2004 Heat Transfer/Fluids Engineering Summer Conference, Charlotte, NC, 11-15 July 2004.
Knowles K, Lawson NJ, Bray D, Ritchie SA & Geraldes P (2004) Studies of Transonic Cavity Flows Relevant to Aircraft Stores Carriage and Release. In: RTO Applied Vehicle Technology Panel (AVT) Symposium, Williamsburg, VA, 7 June 2004.
Galinski C, Lawson NJ & Zbikowski R (2004) Delta wing with leading edge extension and propeller propulsion for fixed wing MAV. In: 24th International Congress of the Aeronautical Sciences, Yokohama, 29 August 2004.
Coupland JM & Lawson NJ (2004) Multi-Point Laser Doppler Anemometry (MPLDA) : A New Method to Estimate Fluid Flow Statistics. In: 12th International Symposium on Applications of Laser Techniques to Fluid Mechanics, Lisbon, 12 July 2004.
Lawson NJ, Eyles JM & Knowles K (2004) An Unsteady and Time-Averaged Study of a Ground Vortex Flow. In: 24th International Congress of Aeronautical Sciences, Yokohama, 29 August 2004.
Ritchie SA, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2004) A PIV and CFD Investigation of Cavity Flows in the Transonic Flow Regime. In: 24th International Congress of the Aeronautical Sciences, Yokohama, 29 August 2004.
Arruda MP & Lawson N (2003) Experimental and computational investigation on submerged entry nozzle jet control. In: ASME/JSME 2003 4th Joint Fluids Engineering Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, 6-10 July 2003.
Saddington AJ, Knowles K & Lawson NJ (2003) The Synergy of CFD and Experiments in Aerodynamics Research at Cranfield University, Shrivenham. In: 1st International Symposium on Integrating CFD and Experiments in Aerodynamics, Glasgow, 8 September 2003.
Arruda MP, Lawson NJ & Davidson MR (2003) Application of lateral injection for control of a submerged jet oscillation in a thin rectangular cavity. In: 7th Triennial International Symposium on Fluid Control, Measurement and Visualization, Sorrento, 25 August 2003.
Ritchie SA, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2003) A Numerical and Experimental Investigation of an Open Transonic Cavity. In: 21st AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference, Orlando, Florida, 23-26 June 2003.
Ritchie SA, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2003) An experimental and numerical study of an open transonic cavity. In: CEAS Aerospace Aerodynamics Research Conference, London, 10 June 2003.
Eyles JM, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2002) An Experimental Investigation using PIV of the STOVL Ground Vortex Flow. In: CEAS Aerospace Aerodynamics Research Conference, Cambridge, 10 June 2002.
Eyles JM, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2002) Application of PIV and LDA to a Ground Vortex Flow. In: 11th International Symposium on Applications of Laser Techniques to Fluid Mechanics, Lisbon, 8 July 2002.
Lawson NJ., Knowles K, Hart RJE., Wray JN & Eyles JM (2002) An Experimental Investigation Using PIV of the Underflow of a GA(W)-1 Aerofoil Section in Ground Effect. In: 4th MIRA International Vehicle Aerodynamics Conference, Warwick, 16 October 2002.
Eyles JM, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2002) A Study Using PIV and LDA of a Compressible STOVL Ground Vortex Flow. In: 2002 Biennial International Powered Lift Conference and Exhibit, Williamsburg, Virginia, 5-7 November 2002.
Saddington AJ, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2002) Numerical Predictions and Experiments on Supersonic Jet Mixing from Castellated Nozzles. In: 23rd Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Toronto, 8 September 2002.
Saddington AJ, Lawson NJ & Knowles K (2002) Simulation and Experiments on Under-expanded Turbulent Jets. In: CEAS Aerospace Aerodynamics Research Conference, Cambridge, 10 June 2002.
Davidson MR & Lawson NJ (2002) Numerical prediction of submerged oscillating jet flow. In: 2nd International Conference on CFD in the Minerals and Process Industries, Melbourne, 6 December 1999.
Chang C & Davidson MR and Lawson NJ (2001) CFD Studies on Bifurcated Nozzle Jet Flow in a Water Model of a Thin Slab Casting Mould. In: 6th World Congress of Chemical Engineering, Melbourne, Australia, 23 October 2001.
Lawson NJ & Davidson MR (2000) An Investigation of a Low Strouhal Number Oscillatory Jet Submerged in a Thin Rectangular Cavity. In: 10th International Symposium on Applications of Laser Techniques to Fluid Mechanics, Lisbon, 10 July 2000.
Lawson NJ & Wu J (2000) Error Analysis and Application of Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry to a Liquid Flow. In: 9th International Symposium on Flow Visualization, Edinbugh, 22 August 2000.
Smith KM, Davidson MR & Lawson NJ (1999) Dispersion of Streams of Spheres Falling Vertically into a Stationary Liquid. In: 2nd International Symposium On Two-Phase Flow Modelling and Experimentation, Pisa, 23 May 1999.
Lawson NJ, Rudman M, Guerra A & Liow J-L (1999) The Application of Particle Image Velocimetry and Computational Fluid Dynamics to the Break-up of a Large Bubble in a Liquid Bath. In: 2nd International Symposium On Two-Phase Flow Modelling and Experimentation, Pisa, 23 May 1999.
Harrison GM, Lawson NJ & Boger DV (1999) Three-Dimensional Particle Image Velocimetry of a Sedimenting Sphere near a Plane Wall in Non-Newtonian Solutions. In: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting 1999, Dallas, Texas, 31 October 1999.
Lawson NJ & Davidson MR (1998) Measurement of Cross-Flow Characteristics from a Transient Water Model of a Thin Slab Casting Mould. In: International Conference on Optical Methods and Data Processing in Heat and Fluid Flow, City University, London, 16 April 1998.
Davidson MR, Gebert BM, Rudman MJ, Lawson & NJ (1998) Oscillating Flow in a Model of a Thin Slab Casting Mould. In: AEA Technology International Users Conference '97, Chicago, 8 October 1997.
Liow J-L, Lawson NJ, Laird G & Gray NB (1996) Experimental Methods in Gas Injection into Liquid Systems. In: The Howard Worner International Symposium on Injection in Pyrometallurgy, Melbourne, 1 July 1996.
Morsi YS, Atapattu DD, Yang W & Lawson NJ (1996) LDA measurement of two-phase flow in a liquid bath with top submerged swirl and non-swirl gas injection. In: First Australian Conference on Laser Diagnostics in Fluid Mechanics and Combustion, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 5 December 1996.
Reeves M, Lawson NJ, Halliwell NA & Coupland JM (1994) Cross correlation for Particle Image Velocimetry using Polarisation Sensitive Image Labelling. In: Applied Optics and Optoelectronics Conference - Fringe Analysis Special Interest Group, University of York, York, 5 September 1994.
Lawson NJ, Coupland JM, Halliwell NA, Christoudoulou MS & Hancox J (1994) Application of Particle Image Velocimetry to a Normal Shock in a Supersonic Nozzle. In: Optical Methods and Data Processing in Heat and Fluid Flow, City University, London, 14 April 1994.
Arruda MP & Lawson NJ Vectoring a Self-Sustained Oscillatory Confined Jet Flow by Secondary Cross-Flow Injection. In: 42nd AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, Nevada, 5-8 January 2004.
Bray D, Lawson NJ & Harding SJ Supersonic Business Jet Aircraft Design. In: 23rd International Congress of Aeronautical Sciences, Toronto, 8 September 2002.
Lawson NJ & Davidson MR The Application of LDA to Characterise Crossflow from an Oscillating Jet in a Thin Slab Casting Mould. In: 13th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Melbourne, 13 December 1998.
Croucher SJ, Lawson NJ, Kummari K K L, Chung HC, Huang Z & Whatmore RW Stereoscopic PIV Analysis of an Oscillating Piezoelectric Unimorph. In: 13th Int Symp on application of laser techniques to fluid mechanics, Lison, Portugal.

Books

Boden F, Lawson N, Jentink HW (eds), (2013) Advanced In-Flight Measurement Techniques, Berlin Heidelberg: Springer, ed. 1.
Politz C & Lawson NJ (2013) Chapter 9 - Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). In: AIM2 Advanced Flight Testing Workshop - Handbook of Advanced In-Flight Measurement Techniques. Boden F (ed.), Books on Demand, Norderstedt, p. 101-110.
Lawson NJ (2010) External Transonic Flows. In: Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering. R Blockley, W Shyy (ed.), Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, p. 299-308, ed. First.