Airplane engine and propeller test-cell lighting

AIRPLANE motor and propeller test cell design is relatively new and there has not been sufficient experience in test-cell operation to determine the most practical design. Practically every new cell is designed to differ in many respects from older ones. This condition is particularly true for the lighting systems which vary radically in design for each group of test cells that is built. The author has made a study of existing installations to determine the good and bad practices now in use so that definite and logical improvement can be made in the lighting design of future cells. In all fairness to the engineers who are responsible for the design of present test cells, it must be remembered that there has been no time for detailed study or investigations of the problem. Speed has been the order of the day, and any kind of performance was better than none. Now that we have time to catch our breath and think about doing things better, there has commenced a program of improving the lighting of the existing test cells.