Instructor: Paul Vijgen

Paul Vijgen
Biography: Paul Vijgen was an Associate Technical Fellow in aerodynamics engineering at Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle (retired in 2022). At Boeing he supported aerodynamic development and testing of commercial aircraft including the 787 family. As a SME in flow physics and flow control including adaptive geometries he focused on maturation and integration of several aerodynamic fuel-burn reduction technologies.

Starting at NASA Langley in 1985, he has been involved with aerodynamic technology application studies including design and flight testing of laminar flow control and other drag-reduction methods for wings, fuselages and nacelles. Other aerodynamic topics he studied in flight tests include transport-wing high-lift flows and supersonic turbulent flows. He has published about 15 patents and over 50 technical papers and journal articles.

Vijgen received a M.S. from the Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, and a Doctor-of Engineering degree from the University of Kansas (both degrees are in Aerospace Engineering). He is currently a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an Associate Fellow of the AIAA.  He is an active member of the ICAS (International Council of Aeronautical Societies) Planning Committee, and a reviewer of AIAA journal manuscripts.

Classes by this instructor


This course covers recent advances in high-lift systems and aerodynamics as well as cruise drag prediction and reduction. It includes discussion of numerical methods and experimental techniques for performance analysis of wings and bodies and boundary-layer transition prediction/detection.

Course preview webinar: Aerodynamic Design Improvements-Airplane Active Flow Control

October 14-18, 2024, B Resort Hotel Orlando