Flight inspection

About: Flight inspection is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1013 publications have been published within this topic receiving 9323 citations.

Aircraft and Rotorcraft System Identification: Engineering Methods with Flight-Test Examples

Abstract: Presenting proven methods, practical guidelines, and real-world flight-test results for a wide range of state-of-the-art flight vehicles, "Aircraft and Rotorcraft System Identification, Second Edition" addresses the entire process of aircraft and rotorcraft system identification from instrumentation and flight testing to model determination, validation, and application of the results. In this highly anticipated second edition, authors Tischler and Remple have added dedicated in-depth chapters presenting extended model structures and identification results for large flexible transport aircraft, and the detailed methodology to develop a continuous full flight envelope simulation model from individual system identification models and trim test data. Topics Discussed include: Frequency-response methods that are especially well suited for system identification of flight vehicle models from flight-test data; specific guidelines for flight testing, data analysis, and the proper selection of model structure complexity; and emphasis on the importance of physical insight in model development and applications. Special features: student version of CIFER[registered] with updated graphical user interface using MATLAB[registered]; numerous flight-test results for both manned and unmanned vehicles illustrating the wide-ranging roles of system identification, including the analysis of flight mechanics, feedback control, handling qualities, subsystem dynamics, structural analysis, higher-order models for aircraft and rotorcraft, and simulation; and, extensive problem sets at the end of each chapter, with many exercises based on flight-test data provided for the XV-15 in hover and cruise giving the reader hands-on real-world experience with system identification methods and interpretation of the results.

Anomaly detection via a Gaussian Mixture Model for flight operation and safety monitoring

Abstract: Safety is key to civil aviation. To further improve its already respectable safety records, the airline industry is transitioning towards a proactive approach which anticipates and mitigates risks before incidents occur. This approach requires continuous monitoring and analysis of flight operations; however, modern aircraft systems have become increasingly complex to a degree that traditional analytical methods have reached their limits – the current methods in use can only detect ‘hazardous’ behaviors on a pre-defined list; they will miss important risks that are unlisted or unknown. This paper presents a novel approach to apply data mining in flight data analysis allowing airline safety experts to identify latent risks from daily operations without specifying what to look for in advance. In this approach, we apply a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) based clustering to digital flight data in order to detect flights with unusual data patterns. These flights may indicate an increased level of risks under the assumption that normal flights share common patterns, while anomalies do not. Safety experts can then review these flights in detail to identify risks, if any. Compared with other data-driven methods to monitor flight operations, this approach, referred to as ClusterAD-DataSample, can (1) better establish the norm by automatically recognizing multiple typical patterns of flight operations, and (2) pinpoint which part of a detected flight is abnormal. Evaluation of ClusterAD-DataSample was performed on two sets of A320 flight data of real-world airline operations; results showed that ClusterAD-DataSample was able to detect abnormal flights with elevated risks, which make it a promising tool for airline operators to identify early signs of safety degradation even if the criteria are unknown a priori.

AirSTAR: A UAV Platform for Flight Dynamics and Control System Testing

Abstract: As part of the NASA Aviation Safety Program at Langley Research Center, a dynamically scaled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and associated ground based control system are being developed to investigate dynamics modeling and control of large transport vehicles in upset conditions. The UAV is a 5.5% (seven foot wingspan), twin turbine, generic transport aircraft with a sophisticated instrumentation and telemetry package. A ground based, real-time control system is located inside an operations vehicle for the research pilot and associated support personnel. The telemetry system supports over 70 channels of data plus video for the downlink and 30 channels for the control uplink. Data rates are in excess of 200 Hz. Dynamic scaling of the UAV, which includes dimensional, weight, inertial, actuation, and control system scaling, is required so that the sub-scale vehicle will realistically simulate the flight characteristics of the full-scale aircraft. This testbed will be utilized to validate modeling methods, flight dynamics characteristics, and control system designs for large transport aircraft, with the end goal being the development of technologies to reduce the fatal accident rate due to loss-of-control.

Flight testing of fixed-wing aircraft

Abstract: The measurement of performance during an airplane's flight testing is one of the more important tasks to be accomplished during its development as it impacts on both the airplane's safety and its marketability Performance sells airplanes This discusses performance for both propeller-driven and jet aircraft However, its emphasis is on propeller-driven aircraft since much of the methodology for testing of propeller driven aircraft has been lost with time This is intended for those teaching courses in fixed-wing flight testing It is also a reference for those involved in flight test on a daily basis or those who need knowledge of flight testing to manage those activities The book is divided into three sections: Performance; Stability and Controller; and Hazardous Flight Tests, provide information based upon more than 30 years of experience in performing and directing such tests