The model may be mounted on a balance to directly measure the aircraft lift or drag. A wake rake, or a row of transducers, can also measure drag. Model attitude or the angle of the aircraft to the airflow is measured using either a sensitive angular encoder or high-precision accelerometer. Video cameras can be used to record aspects such as airflow visualization, wing deformation, and model angle of attack measurements at normal video recording speeds, or at high speed to provide more detailed motion analysis. Schlieren and shadowgraph systems, infrared photogrametry, and laser velocimeters are used to visualize and document airflow.
Thermocouples measure temperatures either on the model or inside the tunnel at specific locations.
Measurements can be made with a focused microphone array to determine noise levels produced by specific components of an aircraft. The adaptive walls, floor, and ceiling in the test section can be moved to eliminate or reduce effects of air around the model being artificially constrained by the tunnel walls, thus better representing flight in the atmosphere. The Mach number, pressure, temperature, angle of attack, and adaptive wall shapes are automatically controlled by the tunnel computer system. The normal test medium is gaseous nitrogen. Air can be used as the test medium at ambient temperature.