Aircraft Engineering and Modification Aircraft Engineering

1
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft
Engineering and Modification

• Aircraft Engineering and Flight Test
• - The Preparations and Management of
  the Modification Process
• - Flight Test Management and Operations

2
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft
Engineering and Modification

• The Preparations and Management of the
  Modification Process
• Each Aircraft Modification Will Vary
  According To The Type Of Modification, Reason
  For Modification And Aircraft Requirements
• (1) Documentation For Modification
  Procedures Can Only Be Completed
• When The Purpose And Requirements
  Are Understood.
• (2) Familiarity Is Required With Existing
  Structural And Systems
• Characteristics So Compatibility
  Problems Can Be Avoided.
• (3) Each Modification Service Consults
  With The Regional FAA Aircraft
• Certification Office (ACO).
• (4) The Company Performing The
  Modification Is Expected To Propose
• An Overall Certification Plan.

3
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft
Engineering and Modification

• The Preparations and Management of the
  Modification Process
• Dependent On The Type Of Modification
  Certain Documents Are Prepared
• (1) A Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)
  Is A Document Issued By
• The FAA Approving A Product
  Modification.
• (a) The STC Defines The Change In
  The Product Design
• (b) States How The Modification
  Affects The Existing Type Design
• (c) Identifies The Serial
  Effectivity
• (2) If A Repair Is Completed, Which Is A
  Type Of Modification FAA Form
• 337 Must Be Completed.
• (3) An FAA Order 8110.3 Is A Statement Of
  Compliance With The
• Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs)
• (4) A Prepared Data Package Contains All
  Drawings, Engineering
• Reports And All Relevant
  Information Explaining The Modification
• Work Effort.

4
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft
Engineering and Modification

• The Preparations and Management of the
  Modification Process
• Each Company That Provides A Modification
  Service Is Obliged To Employ The
  Professionals With The Necessary Skill-Set
  Requirements
• (1) Some Certified Professionals Include
  
• (a) FAA DERs In Different Type Of
  Specializations
• (b) FAA Designated Manufacturing
  Inspection Representative
• (c) Avionics Modification
  Installation Specialists
• (d) Specialists With FCC
  Radiotelephone And RADAR Endorsements
• (e) Inspection Authorization
  Personnel
• (f) FAA Certified Airframe And
  Power plant Technicians
• (2) Identifying All Pertinent FARs Under
  Parts 23 And 25 Affected By
• The Modification Is Paramount For
  Safety.
• (3) To Quantify Safety Engineering Areas
  Failure Modes And Effects
• Analysis (FMEA) And Fault Tree
  Analysis Are Used.

5
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft
Engineering and Modification

• Flight Test Management And Operations
• The Flight Test Management Process
  And Operations Is Determined Before The
  Completion Of The Modification
• (1) Documentation Obtained During And
  Sometimes Prior To The
• Aircraft Modification Effort Include
  
• (a) Aircraft Airworthiness Document
• (b) Type Certificate
  
• (c) STCs
• (d) Other FAA Documentation
• (2) Dependent On The Kind Of Modification
  The Flight Tests May Vary.
• (3) Aircraft Preparation, Certification
  And The Availability Of Qualified
• Flight Engineers, Navigators And
  Test Pilots Are Important Elements
• In Determining Flight Test
  Readiness.

6
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft Engineering and
Modification

• Aircraft Engineering Methodologies and
  Project Installations
• - The Empennage Strain Gage Survey
  Equipment With Data Acquisition
• - Traffic Collision Avoidance System
  (TCAS II)
• - Initial Reference System ( IRS )

7
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft Engineering and
Modification

• Empennage Strain Gage Survey Equipment With
  Data Acquisition System
• Specialty Measurements Incorporated (SMI)
  Designed The Empennage Strain Gage Survey
  Equipment. Validyne Engineering Corporation
  Provided The Data Acquisition System
• (1) Objective Of Installation - Measure
  Flight Loads Imposed On Tail Of An
• Executive / Commuter Aircraft Under
  Real Flight Conditions.
• (2) Thirty-Four Strain Gages Placed In The
  Vertical And Horizontal Stabilizers
• Are Chosen As Control Points.
• (3) These Points Are Monitored Because
• (a) They Represent Potentially
  Areas
• (b) Contribute Significantly To
  Flight Loads
• (c) Could Result In A Catastrophic
  Failure Of The Aircraft
• (4) The Strain Gages Are Installed
  Using A Coating Suitable For The
• Expected Test Conditions.

8
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft Engineering and
Modification

• Empennage Strain Gage Survey Equipment With
  Data Acquisition System
• The Data Collection Acquisition Equipment
  System Is Located On The Data Acquisition
  Rack In The Cabin
• (1) Two ARINC 429 Data Bus Signals
• (a) One From The Bendix Air Data
  Computer And The Other From
• (b) Honeywells LASEREF Navigation
  System
• Are Received At The Interface
  Bracket
• (2) An AC DC Power Distribution Box Is
  Designed And Built To Channel
• 115VAC And 28VDC To The Data
  Acquisition Collection Equipment.
• (3) The Power Distribution Box And
  Project Navigation Rack Provide Circuit
• Protection And Isolation.
• (4) Data On Structural Integrity Is
  Recorded And Analyzed To Determine
• Fatigue Failure Of The Aircraft.

9
Progress in Aviation Through
Aircraft Engineering and
Modification
Empennage Strain Gage Survey Equipment With
Data Acquisition System

Figure 1. The Beech craft King Air 200 Was
Used For The Empennage Strain Gage Survey
Installation