Calspan Flight Research Recent Activities

Lou Knotts

SAE ACGSC Meeting

Salt Lake City

March 2-4, 2005

Discussion Topics

• Divestiture by General Dynamics

• Niagara Falls – New Flight Test Facility

• Learjet #3

• Learjet Automated Aerial Refueling

• FAA Upset Recovery Training (URT)

Divestiture by General Dynamics

• Aero and Transportation Testing Businesses sold by GD– Completed 18 February 2005– Returned to Calspan Corporation

• Business consists of five operating units:– Flight Research– Transonic Wind Tunnel– Transportation Science Center– Crash Data Research Center– System Integration & Design

• 230 employees– Buffalo, Edwards, Roswell, Ann Arbor, Miami

Niagara Falls Hangar

Our first aircraft, November 2004

Learjet # 3 Bought

• 25D – Serial 347• Currently at Wichita factory for inspection• 1 year in-flight simulation modifications start in April

Learjet Automated Aerial Refueling

• AAR Sponsored by AFRL

• Utilizing Learjet as “surrogate” J-UCAS

• Objectives:

– Clear Learjet to operate up to and including Contact position with KC-135

– Evaluate acceptability of sensors

– Evaluate control laws for automated refueling

• Initial Test Flights

– Sep 2004

– Gathered data for PGPS & EO sensors

• Next:

– Install throttle servos – Summer 2005

– Data-link test - Sep 2005

– Initial automated closed-loop tests – Jun ‘06

– Final automated closed-loop tests – Jun ‘07

FAA Upset Recovery Training

• FAA Sponsored – 5 Year Program– Based at Roswell, NM

• Objectives:– Develop an In-Flight Simulation Based URT Program

– Train up to 2,000 Airline Pilots

– Optimize URT

• Utilizes Learjet IFS and Aerobatic Bonanza– ½ Day Lecture, Ground Sim, Bonanza Flt, LJ Flt.

• Data being collected :– Pilot background info

– Video, Digital data

– Post-flight comments & Recovery Rating (similar to C-H)

• Expanding to Commercial Customers: several air carriers interested, business aviation, others …

FAA Upset Recovery Training

LEARJET

Accident Scenarios: CG shifts PIO tendencies Wake vortex Jammed controls Surface hard-over Runaway trim Total hydraulic failure

BONANZA

Aerobatics: Loops & Rolls Split-S Positive & Negative g Nose high recovery Nose low recovery

URT Current Program Status

• Completed Third year of program

• 2002 – 03 (Year 1)– Curriculum & flight scenarios prepared– Ground simulator delivered (Genesis companion trainer)– Hotbench development system started (new Wheel/Column)– 83 Participants (Aug 02 – Jun 03)

• 2003 – 05 (Year 2/3)– 160 Participants to date (Jun 03 – Feb 05)– Completed Hotbench – system architecture & Wheel/Column

• 53 Participant Organizations– 33 Passenger Airlines, 4 Cargo, 2 Charter, FAA, ALPA, APA, NTSB, NMDoT,

3 Manufacturers, 4 Universities, 2 Journalists

Pilot’s Confidence of Recovery vs IFS URT Training

Dramatic Improvement after IFS-Based Training

(based on 182 subjects to date - 7/31/04)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Recovery inDoubt

Moderate toSmall

Confidence ofRecovery

HighConfidence of

Recovery

CONFIDENCE of RECOVERY

% o

f P

AR

TIC

IPA

NT

S

Initial Pre-IFS-Training Test

Final Post-IFS-Training Test

49% 49%

2%

19%

1%

80%