NTPS COURSE Introduction to Flight Test Engineering

1. NTPS COURSE Introduction to Flight Test Engineering David Gill Team Leader Airworthiness

2. National Test Pilot School • Introduction to Performance and Flying Qualities Flight Testing • Two Week Short Course May 8 – 19, 2006 • Intended to provide practical experience in aircraft performance, stability and control handling qualities, flight test instrumentation and data handling Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report 7th Sept 2007

3. Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

4. Course Outline • This two week short course is designed to satisfy the demand for engineers, pilots and flight test support personnel who require practical experience in aircraft performance, stability and control, handling qualities, flight test instrumentation data handling, as well as a working knowledge of FAA and military specifications pertaining to piloted aircraft. • Classroom academics are tailored to prepare the students for practical in-flight tests.  Seven flights are performed in a medium weight transport aircraft. These aircraft have been instrumented to serve as in-flight laboratories.  On each of the sorties the students participate as flight test engineers, gathering data for post-flight analysis. Four additional sorties are flown in light aircraft to allow the students to give practical hands-on experience in performing the various flight test techniques as a pilot.  At the conclusion of the course, students present their findings and recommendations on both mission suitability and regulatory compliance in an oral report to the staff. Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

5. Course Content • Basically the course consisted of lectures in the morning on a particular subject, followed by explanation of the flight test exercise to be carried out on that subject. • Each of the two groups would then prepare their test cards for the flight. Each group would be assigned a different aircraft c.g. configuration. • The flight would then be undertaken with each person recording their own results. • After the flight the data would be processed using the NTPS programs and analysed. This was then collated and graphed, and checked against design requirements. Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

6. Test Aircraft – Swearingen Merlin III • 840 shp Garrett 311-393G Turboprops Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

7. Test Exercises • Pitot-Static Calibration/Position Error Correction • (Using a trailing bomb) • Cruise Performance, CL-CD and Drag Polar • Sawtooth Climb and Level Acceleration • Longitudinal Static Stability (stick-fixed and stick-free), and Neutral Point Determination • Manoeuvering Stability, Turns, Pull-Ups, Pushovers • Lateral/Directional Static Stability • Aircraft Dynamics and Stalls Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

8. Typical Sortie • Cruise Performance • Objects: • To obtain cruise performance data and fuel flow information for various configurations. • Determine the specific range and drag polar for the aircraft. • Technique: • Stabilize the aircraft at the test altitude and airspeed by using the “backside” technique. • Record fuel flow, power, altitude and airspeed, along with ambient conditions. Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

9. Data Reduction Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

10. Data Reduction Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

11. Results The bottom of the curve shows denotes speed for best endurance. Maximum slope of curve, from origin, denotes speed for maximum range. • Top of curve indicates maximum range at standard weight. • 99% of maximum Specific Range is the speed for long range cruise. Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

12. Results Drag Polar extrapolates to CD0 at the y axis. The slope of the line through the origin indicates maximum lift-to-drag ratio. Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

13. Individual Flight Sorties • As well as the Group exercises in the Merlin all course students had the opportunity to carry out individual “hands-on” flights in the NTPS light aircraft fleet. • This was not intended to teach test pilot techniques, but to introduce the student to the various manouevres, so they could understand what they were asking the pilot to do. • The test exercises were: • Position error Correction • Performance • Flying Qualities • Asymmetric Power Test Techniques Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

14. Individual Flight Test Aircraft Left: Beech 36 Bonanza Middle: Cessna 150 Right: Beech 76 Duchess Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

15. NTPS Fleet • DH.104 Dove • Cessna 150 and 152 • Beech 36 Bonanza • Beech 76 Duchess • Hughes 500 • Bell OH-58 • MB326 Impala • DHC-1 Chipmunk • Cirrus SR-22 • SA226T Merlin III • Turboprop DC-3 • Cessna 441 Conquest • AM-3 Bosbok • MS-760 Paris • NDN-1 Firecracker • Saab J35XD Draken • Piper PA-28 Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

16. Modified PA-28 Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

17. Weird & Wonderful Sights at Mojave Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

18. Weird & Wonderful Sights at Mojave 2 Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

19. Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report

20. Aircraft Certification Unit – Flight Test Engineering Course Report