Lab Director / Associate Professor
Michael P. Kinzel
Computational fluid dynamics, multiphase flow, rotorcraft and hypersonic aerodynamics
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University · Department of Aerospace Engineering
Computational Fluids and Aerodynamics Laboratory
We develop computational and experimental tools for complex aerospace and multiphysics flow problems, in environments where conventional aerodynamic models become difficult to apply.
Research Areas
All research →Rotorcraft and Advanced Air Mobility
Rotor aerodynamics, ship airwakes, urban operations, vertiports, rotor outwash, and real-time CFD for flight simulation.
Explore →Space and Planetary Aerodynamics
Dragonfly/Titan aerodynamics, low-gravity flows, rotorcraft operations in extraterrestrial atmospheres, landing environments, and very-low-Earth-orbit aerodynamics.
Explore →Hypersonics and Reentry
High-speed vehicle aerodynamics, lateral and divert jets, thermal protection systems, and CFD validation using advanced diagnostics such as Schlieren imaging.
Explore →Multiphase and Extreme-Environment Flows
Rain, droplets, dust, debris, cavitation, icing, saltation, and shock-droplet interactions.
Explore →Atmospheric and Environmental Flows
Atmospheric boundary layers, winds around buildings and terrain, wind-energy applications, and vehicle-environment interaction.
Explore →Real-Time and AI-Accelerated Modeling
GPU-based CFD, lattice-Boltzmann methods, reduced-order models, machine learning, physics-informed models, and digital twins for near-real-time prediction.
Explore →Multidisciplinary Design
Coupling CFD with structures, controls, thermal analysis, optimization, and systems engineering for aerospace vehicle design.
Explore →Featured Projects
All projects →active2018–2026 (multiple phases)
Dragonfly Fuselage
Aerodynamic design and analysis supporting the fuselage of NASA's Dragonfly rotorcraft lander, which will fly to Saturn's moon Titan. CFAL's work spans rotor-fuselage interaction, heatshield/backshell separation aerodynamics, in-ground-effect and outwash/saltation behavior on Titan's surface, and wind-tunnel uncertainty quantification.
NASA (subcontract through Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory)
active2024–2027
BRITE PIVOT
Development of functional, light-matter-interaction-based sensors manufactured and characterized in low-gravity and microgravity space environments, in support of in-space manufacturing capability.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
active2025–2027
Atmospheric Flight Path Prediction
Real-time and near-real-time CFD-based prediction of atmospheric flight trajectories, supporting rapid decision-making for aerospace systems operating in complex, evolving atmospheric conditions.
DARPA (subcontract through Mississippi State University)
active2025–2027
Aerothermal Cargo Downmassing
Design and analysis of thermal protection systems for high-speed atmospheric entry vehicles used to return cargo to Earth, addressing aerothermal loading during hypersonic reentry.
U.S. Air Force (subcontract through Cardinal Engineering)
People
Full roster →JA
Ph.D. Candidate
Jackson Asiatico
Rotor-fuselage interactions for aircraft; space exploration rotorcraft ground operations
TP
Ph.D. Candidate · NSF-GRFP Fellow · ISSNL Fellow
Taylor Peterson
Gauging cislunar fluid transfer of phase-changing fuels; cryogenics in microgravity
SS
Ph.D. Candidate
Sweety Sarker
Machine learning and physics-informed neural network (PINN) models for real-time, micro-scale atmospheric flow prediction
AS
Ph.D. Candidate
Alexander Spitzer
Rotor aerodynamic control using multiphase jet flaps (Sprayed Liquid Flap)
EC
Ph.D. Candidate
Edward Clutter
A fundamental model of heatshield release aerodynamics (Dragonfly / Titan)
MG
BC
Postdoctoral Scholar
Brendon Cavainolo
Weather prediction for energy harvesting for autonomous gliders
Where Our Alumni Go
32 former students across Embry-Riddle, UCF, and Penn State.
Reed Forehand
Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering — University of Central Florida · 2019–2024
"A Numerical Assessment of Shock-Raindrop Interaction: An Investigation of Cavitation Dynamics Driven by Internal Pressure Wave Focusing"
Now: Blue Origin
⚠ Verified via UCF's STARS repository; the CV's title for this dissertation has since been corrected to match.
Caroline Anderson
Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering — University of Central Florida · 2019–2025
"Numerical Evaluation of a Novel Transpiration Cooling Scheme for Use in Dynamic Control of Atmospheric Entry System"
Now: NASA Kennedy Space Center
Completed a postdoctoral appointment at CFAL/ERAU (2025–2026, funded by AFRL) before moving to NASA Kennedy Space Center.
Rajendra Shrestha
Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering — University of Central Florida · 2020–2024
"A CFD Framework to Study Complex Effects Relating to Airborne Viral-pathogen Transmission"
Now: University of Central Florida / Advanced CFD Solutions
Wayne Farrell
Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering — University of Central Florida · 2019–2024
"On the Characterization and Modeling of Unsteady Aerodynamic Systems in Extraterrestrial Environments"
Now: Lockheed Martin
⚠ Verified via UCF's STARS repository; the CV's title for this dissertation has since been corrected to match.
George Loubimov
Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering — University of Central Florida · 2019–2022
"Energy Based Diagnostics of CFD: Revealing New Insights to Complex Aerodynamics"
Now: Navy NUWC
Brendon Cavainolo
Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering — University of Central Florida · 2021–2024
"Numerical and Analytical Evaluations of Impact of Atmospheric Particles on Aircraft"
Now: Postdoctoral Scholar, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University / Advanced CFD Solutions
Continues in the lab as a current postdoctoral scholar — see People > Current.
⚠ Verified via UCF's STARS repository; the CV's title for this dissertation has since been corrected to match.
Recent Publications
All publications →2026
Physics-Informed Neural Networks for Real-Time, Micro-scale Atmospheric Flow Prediction
S Sarker, B Cavainolo, M Kinzel
AIAA SCITECH 2026 Forum, 1933, 2026
2026
A Semi-Empirical Model of the Heatshield Separation: Application to Titan
EG Clutter, M Kinzel, P do Vale Pereira
AIAA SCITECH 2026 Forum, 0702, 2026
2026
Experimental Assessment of the Sprayed Liquid Flap
G Loubimov, A Spitzer, M Kinzel
Journal of Aircraft, 1-12, 2026
2026
Session 2: Platform Development II
DGBH de Azevedo, R Lorenz, J Asiatico, M Kinzel, M Marques Goncalves
2026
CFD Analysis of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Measurements on Planetary Rotorcraft
J Asiatico, M Kinzel
Sponsors & Collaborators
NASANational Science FoundationDARPAAir Force Research LaboratoryAir Force Office of Scientific ResearchU.S. Air ForceU.S. Space ForceOffice of Naval ResearchU.S. NavyDepartment of EnergyJohns Hopkins Applied Physics LaboratoryNational Rotorcraft Technology Center