Browse Topic: Flight tests
Heather Cummings, a 27-year old senior flight controls and autonomy engineer at Sikorsky, is the winner of the Aerospace/Defense category for SAE Media Group's inaugural Women in Engineering: Rising Star Awards program. In addition to her role developing flight control software and improving Sikorsky's Innovations department's processes for software and model-based systems engineering, she is also a pilot. Among her career accomplishments at Sikorsky include leading the flight controls software development and flight testing program on a technology demonstrator aircraft for autonomy and reduced crew operations. The project involved Heather dividing up sub-tasks for the project and working with each individual on the team to mentor them on the engineering skills necessary for completion. She also served as the onboard flight test engineer for the project. One of her career goals is to serve as the lead engineer on new technologies that form the next generation of semi and fully
Air Force Test Pilot School Edwards Air Force Base, CA 661-277-1110
Innovators at NASA Johnson Space Center have developed and successfully flight tested a high-performance computing platform, known as the Descent and Landing Computer (DLC), to suit the demands of safe, autonomous, extraterrestrial spacecraft landings for robotic and human exploration missions
Air Force Test Pilot School Edwards Air Force Base, CA 661-277-3510
Lockheed Martin Orlando, FL 407-284-9248
Defense Innovation Unit Washington D.C. info@DIU.mil
Collins Aerospace Cedar Rapids, IA 319-295-1000
BAE Systems Arlington, VA 571-488-0456
Northrop Grumman Woodland Hills, CA 224-200-7539
The European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme has funded the SENS4ICE (Sensors for Certifiable Hybrid Architectures for Safer Aviation in Icing Environment) international collaboration flagship programme. Under this programme a number of different organizations have developed ice detection technologies, specifically aimed at providing information to differentiate between ‘classical’ Appendix C icing conditions and the larger droplets found in Appendix O icing. As a partner within the SENS4ICE project, AeroTex UK has developed an ice detection concept called the Atmospheric Icing Patch (AIP). The sensor utilizes a network of iso-thermal sensors to detect icing and differentiate between small and large droplet icing conditions. This paper discusses the development of the sensor technology with a focus on the outcomes of the flight testing performed on the Embraer Phenom 300 platform during early 2023. The work in the programme is built on previous studies performed by AeroTex UK into a
Icing wind tunnel testing was performed as part of the Republic of Korea certification of the Light Civil Helicopter (LCH) for inadvertent flight in icing conditions. The test was aimed at the compliance demonstration of the engine and air intake with dry-media Inlet Barrier Filter (IBF) and was performed with an Arriel 2C2 engine in turbojet configuration. Testing took place at the sea level ambient pressure Large Climatic Wind Tunnel (CWT) at Rail Tec Arsenal (RTA) in Vienna, Austria, by an integrated test team comprising engineers from the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and Safran Helicopter Engines. The test matrix covered the AC29-2C Appendix C 10,000 ft icing envelope, as well as simulated ground icing conditions, considering both a clean and artificially contaminated IBF. Beyond the aforementioned certification conditions, exploratory testing was performed in conditions with Supercooled Large Droplets (SLD) and rain. The test set-up
This SAE Aerospace Standard defines the requirements for establishing a nondestructive inspection (NDI) program for aerospace systems to include but not limited to aircraft structure, aircraft stores (external structures such as antennas, pods, fuel tanks, weapons, radomes, etc.) and missile/rocket structural components when an NDI Program Plan is required by contract. NDI Programs are essential to ensuring NDI processes are implemented to support the lifecycle design requirements of the system and its components. NDI Programs are applicable to all phases of the system life cycle, including acquisition, modification, and sustainment. This standard may also be applicable to mechanical equipment, subsystems, and propulsion systems, but the requirements defined by the NDI Program Plan should be tailored by the contracting agency for such use. An NDI Program Plan shall be developed at the beginning of the technology development phase and shall define all NDI requirements to be adhered to
All equipment has to endure severe levels of vibrations in aircraft. Specifically, in Helicopters; rotor, engine and transmission are prevalent vibration sources. Consequently, there exist industry-based standards which set peak levels of vibrations that equipment has to be qualified for. During a flight test phase, the exposed vibration levels to which equipment is exposed to are to be monitored meticulously against any exceedance of specified qualification levels. In this study, a custom software tool is developed to automate the task of comparing equipment exposed vibration levels in flights as per equipment’s vibration qualification level derived from Section 8 of the RTCA DO-160 standard [1]. The tool which is based on open-source libraries, automated the manual and hence error-prone procedure. Analysis’ are performed mainly in two stages: APS for harmonic vibration perspective and PSD for random vibration perspective. Comparisons against a commercial spectrum analysis software
This document defines and illustrates the process for determination of uncertainty of turbofan and turbojet engine in-flight thrust and other measured in-flight performance parameters. The reasons for requiring this information, as specified in the E-33 Charter, are: determination of high confidence aircraft drag; problem rectification if performance is low; interpolation of measured thrust and aircraft drag over a range of flight conditions by validation and development of high confidence analytical methods; establishment of a baseline for future engine modifications. This document describes systematic and random measurement uncertainties and methods for propagating the uncertainties to the more complicated parameter, in-flight thrust. Methods for combining the uncertainties to obtain given confidence levels are also addressed. Although the primary focus of the document is in-flight thrust, the statistical methods described are applicable to any measurement process. The E-33 Committee
A novel geometry for a six degrees of freedom (6DOF) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) rotary wing aircraft is introduced and a flight mechanical analysis is conducted for an aircraft built in accordance to the thrust vectors of the proposed geometry. Furthermore, the necessary mathematical operations and control schemes are derived to fly an aircraft with the proposed geometry. A system identification of the used propulsion system with the necessary thrust reversal in the form of bidirectional motors and propellers was conducted at a whirl tower. The design of the first prototype aircraft is presented as well as the first flight test results. It could be demonstrated that an aircraft with the thrust vectors oriented according to the proposed geometry works sufficiently and offers unique maneuvering capabilities that cannot be reached with a conventional design. The biggest limiting factor could be identified to be the latency resulting from the time needed to reverse the direction of
This document describes a practical system for a user to determine observer-to-aircraft distances. These observer-to-aircraft distances can be either closest point of approach (CPA) distances during field measurements or overhead distances during acoustic certification tests. The system uses a digital camera to record an image of the subject aircraft. A method of using commercial software to obtain the distance from such an image is presented. Potential issues which may affect accuracy are discussed
The primary objective of any test program is to maximize the probability, within programmatic constraints, that the flight design will function properly and successfully when used in actual service for the intended application. Flight risks are mitigated via prudent and effective analysis and testing. While analysis can sometimes be used in place of test, proper analytical techniques utilize test data as the basis for model correlations. The combination of analysis and test verification is used for both qualification of the LRE design as well as workmanship verification of each LRE flight unit
Typical derivative aircraft share nose geometry and air data sensors installations and Static Source Error Correction (SSEC). So, those derivative designs are expected to present similar air data calibration residual errors. Although such results are somehow expected, the certification process requires evidence from flight tests and analyses. During the certification of a derivative model of a regional jet, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses have been conducted in order to evaluate the suitability of such tool for this problem. Both the basic and derivative models are assumed to share: (i) nose geometry; (ii) air data sensors positions and installation and (iii) Static Source Error Correction (SSEC). CFD simulations have been performed for different configurations and flight conditions. Results showed similarity of air data calibration residuals between basic and derivative models for several configurations, demonstrating the suitability of a CFD tool for certification
Structural durability and ride comfort are two of the main aspects that determine the reliability of a motorcycle. Simulations in the CAE environment are extensively used to carry out those analyses. Jump test and drop test are widely adopted methods used to analyze the off-road capability of motorcycles. For jump test motorcycles run at a constant speed and are made to take a jump from a ramp of a specific height, so that the vehicle will land on wheels with the desired angle of attack after the flight. During the drop test, the vehicle is made to fall from a height that is equal to the maximum height achieved by the vehicle during the jump test flight. Correlation studies are conducted between the jump test and drop test so that the physical test set-up could be evaluated. Simulation of the jump test of a motorcycle is carried out for the suspension assessment, ride comfort and chassis durability analysis. Simulation is carried out using Dassault Systèmes Simulia suite software tools
The 2018 National Defense Strategy emphasizes that the effective implementation of autonomy is essential for future engagements. Key to this implementation is the ability to test and evaluate systems that perform autonomous tasks. The purpose of this research is to equip testers with tools, approaches, and insights to confidently approach the testing of autonomy on air platforms. The air domain is chosen specifically for its applicability to the Air Force mission and to help scope the focus of this research. The intent is not to be an exhaustive reference for testing and evaluating autonomy; rather, the goal is to provide a launching point for greater investigation
During the release of an external store, such as a bomb, from an aircraft, disturbances in the airflow surrounding the aircraft create coupled aerodynamic loads. These loads affect the released store’s trajectory which may cause the store to collide with the aircraft. Reducing the risk of such an event and ensuring the safety of delivery, jettison, and launch operations make executing dedicated flight tests essential. (Figure 1
The scope of this ARP embraces the description of a configuration for a ground-plane microphone installation that may be used to determine sound pressure levels equivalent to those which would have been measured in an acoustic freefield at the microphone location. The one-third - octave-band center-frequency range over which equivalent freefield sound pressure levels may be obtained is from as low as 50 Hz to at least as high as 10,000 Hz. The specific application of the measurement technique described in this ARP is the determination of the equivalent freefield sound pressure levels of the noise produced by propeller-driven light aircraft, in flight, for sound incidence angles within 30 degrees of the normal to the ground. For larger angles to the normal, additional adjustments may be necessary which are outside the scope of this ARP. Caution needs to be exercised, therefore, if the recommended configuration is used to measure the noise from aircraft other than those driven by
This SAE Aerospace Standard defines the requirements for establishing a Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) program for aerospace systems to include but not not be limited to aircraft structure, aircraft stores (external structures such as antennas, pods, fuel tanks, weapons, radomes, etc.) and missile/rocket structural components when an NDI Program Plan is required by contract. NDI Programs are essential to ensuring NDI processes are implemented to support the lifecycle design requirements of the system and its components. NDI Programs are applicable to all phases of the system life cycle, including acquisition, modification, and sustainment. This standard may also be applicable to mechanical equipment, subsystems, and propulsion systems, but the requirements defined by the NDI Program Plan should be tailored by the contracting agency for such use. An NDI Program Plan shall be developed at the beginning of the technology development phase and shall define all NDI requirements to be
An Airbus methodology for the assessment of accurate hydraulic performance at early program stages in the complete aircraft and power consuming systems environment based on joint collaboration with Chiastek is presented. The aim is to comfort the prediction of an aircraft hydraulic performance in order to limit the need for a physical integration test bench and extensive flight test campaign but also to avoid late system redesign based on robust early stage model based engineering and to secure the aircraft entry-into-service
Jasmin Moghbeli’s astronaut class graduated in January 2020 — the first class to graduate since the agency announced the Artemis program. She holds a BS degree in aerospace engineering with information technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a MS in engineering science in aerospace engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Moghbeli was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 2005 upon completion of her undergraduate degree. An AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter pilot and Marine Corps test pilot, Moghbeli served in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. At the time of her selection as an astronaut candidate, Moghbeli was testing H-1 helicopters. She has accumulated more than 150 combat missions and 2,000 hours of flight time in more than 25 different aircraft. She is eligible for assignment to missions destined for the International Space Station, the Moon, and ultimately, Mars
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