Course Description
This 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 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. One additional sortie is 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.
Anticipated Student Academic Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will:
Be Familiar With
1. Aircraft Control Systems.
2. Jet Cruise.
3. Mach Effects on Stability and Control
4. Dimensional Analysis
5. Drag Polar
6. Takeoff and Landing
7. Energy Management
8. Subsonic Aerodynamics
9. Closed Loop Handling Qualities
10. Aero-elasticity
11. Standard Atmosphere
12. Longitudinal Non-Linearities
13. Light Aircraft Engine-Out
14. Transonic Aerodynamics
Understand
15. Pitot-Statics
16. Propeller Cruise
17. Climb Performance
18. Longitudinal Static Stability
19. Longitudinal Maneuvering Stability
20. Lateral-Directional Static Stability
21. Stalls
22. Equations of Motion & Dynamics