Status of the FAA Flight Loads Monitoring Program

In support of the Federal Aviation Administration Aging Aircraft Research Program, the Agency has established a Flight Loads Data Collection Program for Commercial Aircraft. The objectives of this Program are to:

• Review existing data collected by other sources including but not limited to U.S., Foreign, Military, etc.
• Collect current operational usage data from both large and small transport aircraft.
• Develop criteria for future generations of transports.

This paper presents the status of the various programs which are completed, underway or planned.

The FAA will be collecting, storing, and analyzing the data which characterize typical commercial transport operations. The airframe manufacturers will handle the task of calculating the loads and stresses.