A Review of Recent Developments in Flight Test Techniques at the Ames Research Center, Dryden Flight Research Facility

Layton, Garrison P. (1984) A Review of Recent Developments in Flight Test Techniques at the Ames Research Center, Dryden Flight Research Facility. Technical Report NASA TM-86039, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

This paper reviews some new flight test techniques in use at Ames Dryden. The use of the pilot in combination with ground and airborne computational capabilities to maximize data return is discussed, including the remotely piloted research vehicle technique for high-risk testing, the remotely augmented vehicle technique for handling qualities research, and use of ground-computed flight director information to fly unique profiles such as constant-Reynolds-number profiles through the transonic flight regime. Techniques used for checkout and design verification of systems-oriented aircraft are discussed, including descriptions of the various simulations, iron bird set-ups, and vehicle tests. Some newly developed techniques to support the aeronautical research disciplines are discussed, including a new approach to position-error determination, and the use of a large skin friction balance for the measurement of drag caused by various excrescencies.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Memorandum
Keywords:	Test techniques, Flight test, Integrated systems
Subjects:	Aircraft/Project: RPRV Aircraft/Project: RSRA Aircraft/Project: F-104 Aircraft/Project: Boeing 720 Aircraft/Project: F-8 (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (05) Aircraft Design, Testing And Performance Aircraft/Project: HiMAT Aircraft/Project: Multiple Aircraft Aircraft/Project: DAST
ID Code:	637
Deposited On:	03 Febuary 2006
Additional Information:	17 pages. This paper was prepared for presentation at the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (CASI) Flight Test Symposium, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, April 11-12, 1984.