X-Wing Fly-By-Wire Flight Control System Test

Complex fly-by-wire vehicle management systems present a challenge not only to the designers but also to the test engineering community. The challenge is to develop the test methodology, design the test facility, perform the testing, track the overall effort, process the test results and assist in the development and implementation of configuration management and quality control. An example of such a challenge is the current RSRA/X-Wing system being developed by Sikorsky Aircraft. This paper provides an overview of the airborne vehicle management system, a description of the test facility, the scope of testing including the test methodology, a look at the needs for configuration management and a summary of key observations that are pertinent to the validation test process