In-flight Evaluation of an Optical Standby Air Data System

In-flight Evaluation of an Optical Standby Air Data System

In-flight Evaluation of Avionic Systems
Henk Jentink
National Aerospace Laboratory NLR
Aerospace Testing 2011, Flight Test Seminar, 6 April 2011, Hamburg
Nationaal Lucht- en Ruimtevaartlaboratorium – National Aerospace Laboratory NLR
Outline
z Introduction
z Examples of in-flight avionics evaluations
z In flight evaluation of a NESLIE back-up air data system
z
z
z
z
Objectives
Accommodation
Flight Test Operation
Flight Test Analysis and Result
z Conclusion
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Where and what is NLR?
The Netherlands
N L R - F le v o la n d
N L R - A m s te r d a m
www.nlr.nl
N L R – S c h ip h o l
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
How do we test avionics in flight?
NLR Research aircraft
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Cessna Citation
NLR / TUD Research aircraft
z MTOW
14,600 lbs
z Max Payload
3,100 lbs
z Max Altitude
43,000 ft
z Max Speed (Sea level)
262 KIAS
z Max Endurance
5 hours
z Max number cabin seats
8
z P&W JT15D-4 jet engines
z EFIS
z FMS
z RVSM
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Cessna Citation
NLR / TUD Research aircraft
RESEARCH FACILITIES
z
Dedicated electrical power system
z
Hard points (200 kg)
z
External mounting structure
z
Side mounted fairing with optical window
z
Modified escape hatch
z
Nose boom (α and β vanes, 5-hole probe)
z
High accuracy positioning system
z
Data acquisition system
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Fairchild Metro
NLR Research Aircraft
z
MTOW
12,500 lbs
z
Max Payload
3,000 lbs
z
Max Altitude
25,000 ft
z
Max Speed (sea level)
248 KIAS
z
Max Endurance
5 hours
z
Max number cabin seats
6
z
Garrett TPE-331 Turboprop engines
z
Pax door and large cargo door
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Fairchild Metro
NLR Research Aircraft
RESEARCH FACILITIES
z
Dedicated electrical power
z
Hard points (160 kg)
z
External mounting structure
z
Optical window bottom fuselage (60X60 cm)
z
Nose boom (α and β VANES, 5-Hole probe)
z
High accuracy positioning systems
z
Data acquistion system
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Flight Test @ NLR
z Aerodynamics
z Atmosphere
z Avionics
z Air Traffic Management
z Flight test methods
z System tests
z Flight inspection
z Airborne Remote Sensing
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
NLR Flight Test Organisation
Flight Test Preparation
AGREEMENT
Request
For
Test
(RFT)
FOR
Preliminary
Risk
Assessment
TEST
SAFETY REVIEW
Draft
Test
Plan
ROUTINE/LOW: Peers
HIGH: Safety Board
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Examples of in-flight Avionics and Avionic
concept evaluations
z Wake vortex and turbulence detection
z Future ATM concepts validation
z Data links
z UAVs in civil airspace: Project Outcast
z Evaluation of prototype commercial products such as an
IMU, GPS receiver, weather radar, etc.
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Wake vortex and turbulence detection
z S-Wake / Awiator
z I-WAKE
z Delicat
GENERATING A/C
FOLLOWING A/C
Forward-looking LiDAR
sensor
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Wake vortex detection
I-WAKE modification/
certification
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
I-Wake project
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Future ATM concepts validation
•Free flight
•Continuous Descend Approach
•GNSS for aviation
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GNSS for aviation
Is it ready for the application?
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Nice Trials
z 1st time to fly approach on
EGNOS (ESTB) guidance
z Procedure flyability was
demonstrated
z Assessment of TSE in terms of
NSE and FTE
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Data links
z VDL-4 ADS-B
z Eurocontrol Link2000
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
UAVs in civil airspace: Project Outcast
z
See-and-avoid in civil airspace
z
IR and visible cameras
z
“Ground” operator on board
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
OUTCAST project
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OUTCAST
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OUTCAST
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
NESLIE project
z Type
z
European Commission 6th Framework project
z Budget
z
1 M€ NLR / 6 M€ total
z Duration
z
2006 – 2009
z Composition
z
Among partners are
– Thales
– Airbus
– Dassault
– EADS
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Objectives
z NESLIE = NEw Standby Lidar InstrumEnt
z Overall objective
Airspeed
measurement
LiDAR
Airspeed
measurement
Pitot-static
Reduction
probability of
common failures
Improvement
Flight Safety
z Project objective
z
Evaluation of NESLIE system in flight test campaign
– system performance with regard to a/c reference
– influence of atmosphere on backscattered signals
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Principle
z Laser signal
1.
2.
3.
emitted in airflow
backscattered by particles in atmosphere
received with Doppler shift
z Doppler shift is measure for true air
speed component in direction of beam
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Configuration
z Configuration laser beams
z
z
z
Four laser beams
Focused in small measurement volume (pyramid shape)
Four airspeed components > three required
z Location measurement volume
z
z
Just outside fuselage / boundary layer
In front of emergency hatch
– near free-stream conditions
– as far as possible upstream of wing
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Components
z Two avionics boxes
z
z
Optics
Signal processing
z Attached to seat tracks in cabin
z Laser output via glass fibre
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Accommodation
(1/2)
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Accommodation
(2/2)
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Test matrix
Shakedown
Backscattering
measurement
under different
atmospheric
conditions
Performance
measurements
(with noseboom)
Backup flights
Step climbs to
max altitude
Step climbs to
max altitude
Constant max
altitude
Sea, countryside,
dense urban area
Stable conditions
Turbulent conditions
Side slips, AOA
variations with flaps
Rapid speed
changes
Parabolic flights
(0-g manoeuvres)
As required
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Flight statistics
z
z
z
z
Number of test flights
Acc. flight test time
Flight test period
Test area
z
Test level
Test speeds
z
All matrix items covered
z
18
40 hrs
April – May 2009
Netherlands, Northsea &
Germany
Max FL410
Max 260 KIAS
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Recorded data
z NESLIE system
z
z
z
Backscatter signal data
Airspeed data
System data
z Aircraft
z
z
Reference data (AOA, sideslip, airspeed)
for which also a noseboom with vanes
was used
Forward looking video
z Weather
z
Several weather products
– METAR, TAF, SIGWX, UWT,
wx balloon profiles, etc.
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Content of analysis
z Number of detections
z Consistency of data
z Comparison of Neslie air data and NLR aircraft data
z
Major question: Is there a one-to-one relation?
– if yes (within expected accuracy): ok
– if no: can we find an explanation for differences?
z Signal processing algorithm
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Air data comparison
(straight & level speed changes)
Calibrations exist
NESLIE
A/C
REFERENCE
TAS
TAS calibrated = 1.03 TAS Neslie − 11.2 [kt ]
AOA
AOAcalibrated = 0.64 AOANeslie − 1.78 [deg]
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Air data comparison
(parabolic manoeuvres)
How does
calibration
work for
dynamic
manoeuvre?
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Improved calibration
Good coherence
between aircraft
data and NESLIE
system data
TAS calibrated = 0.98 TAS neslie − 0.014
dTAS
− 0.97 AAB + 3.4 [ kt ]
dt
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Follow up project DANIELA
z Follow up project DANIELA
z Now: campaign in Spitsbergen
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Introduction • Examples • NESLIE • Conclusion
Conclusions
NESLIE
z An innovative optical backup air data system
was developed, built and tested
z The system was integrated in NLR’s
Cessna Citation for in-flight evaluation
z The flight test campaign delivered
a large quantity of data
z Results are promising, a large step was
made towards an avionic system
z Data can be calibrated
z Flight testing avionics in an instrumented, easy-
to-modify research aircraft in an experienced flight
test organisation is effective and efficient
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NESLIE flight test impression
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NESLIE flight test impression
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