flight testing "handbook"
 

Hi Guys !

I remember having seen few years ago an exchange foreign TP instructor at EPNER with some kind of a flight testing handbook written in English.
any idea whta it might be, from both sides of the pond ?
any other strongly suggested readings from USNTPS, USAFTPS, ETPS graduates ?
Thanks !

I have three English language books which meet that description.

(1) Darrol Stinton's "Flying Qualities and Flight Testing of the Aeroplane"; Darrol was an ETPS instructor then a CAA test pilot, and it's clearly heavily based upon that work.

(2) ETPS FW Flight Test Handbook, a little hard to get hold of if you weren't there.

(3) FAA AC23-8, Flight Test Handook for normal, utility and aerobatic category aeroplanes. (AC90-89a, the FAA's homebuilt and ultralight book is also worth reading, but rather more "Janet and John"). Both these are downloadable from the FAA's website somewhere or other.


I'd certainly advocate that anybody in this game (who can work in English anyhow) should have Stinton and AC23-8 on the shelf.

G

Alistair Cooke and Eric Fitzpatrick have a book, Helicopter Test and Evaluation. I haven't read it yet, but much of the content is on the course at ETPS. Eric is a flying tutor at ETPS. He knows his stuff and expresses himself quite clearly so I'd expect the book would be good.

There is also a book on homebuilt flight test. Can't remember the author, but the sections I read very clearly laid it in plain language what we've confused with aeroderivatives. It was fixed wing specific, but understanding that will be a good background.

Not sure what he's doing now, but Alistair Cook was a groundschool instructor on the RW side when I attended ETPS in the mid 90s - as with Eric, nice chap, knows his stuff, explains it well.

The book you're thinking of is I believe "Flight Testing Homebuilt Aircraft" by Vaughan Askew. Excellent book on the practicalities and safety aspects, rather short on the data gathering and certification aspects - complements Stinton very well in that regard, which is arguably the opposite.

G

For Part 29 Rotary work the FAA guide book AC29-2C (I think this is the latest edition) is available on the FAA website. Sister publication available for Part 27 (and no doubt aeroplanes small and large too.) Look on the EASA site as well.
I know CAA Flight Dept have used 29-2C quite a bit as reference.
Endorse the Alastair Cooke/ Eric Fitzpatrick book too.

The FAA advisory circulars are pretty good in a lot of areas.
Society of Flight Test Engineers has a handbook of useful stuff related to flight testing - join and you can buy the book pretty cheaply I understand.
There was a book called Flight Test Engineering, but I don't know if it's still available.

Thanks a lot to all of you for your time and replies.
javascript:smilie(':ok:')
I will start giving phone calls and shopping asap.
Keep in touch,
Leonard

Also,

SETP Handbook (more advanced info for experienced flight testers than those new to the profession).

There's also an AGARD "Introduction to Flight Test Engineering", which I have on the shelf at work, but to be honest rarely refer to and unless you get it for free, I'd not bother.

G

I am not involved in flight testing and I hope you will pardon my intrusion in this forum.

If you are interested, the above mentioned document is available online (free of charge) at:

AGARD-AG-300-14 Introduction to Flight Test Engineering

Other documents from the same source that deal with Flight Testing and Handling Qualities:

AGARD-CP-519 Flight Testing

AGARD-CP-593 Advances in Flight Testing

AGARD-AG-332 Stick and Feel System Design

Reports on PIO

Reports on Flight Testing

I hope this helps.

Aerolearner

Genghis and Learner,
Thanks for your very useful inputs.
EDIT: SORRY, LEARNER, YOUR AGARD AND RTO LINKS DO NOT SEEM TO WORK....
address start by ftp, is this the problem ?
Keep in touch,
Leonard

I am not sure about your problem.
I have just checked and I can download the files.

Can you open the links I posted?

Can you access these pages?
ftp://ftp.rta.nato.int/PubFullText/A...ARD-AG-300-14/
ftp://ftp.rta.nato.int/PubFullText/A.../AGARD-CP-519/
ftp://ftp.rta.nato.int/PubFulltext/A.../AGARD-CP-593/

What error message do you get?

If you can not access FTP servers, just let me know and we will arrange some other way.

Aerolearner

Can anyone point me to a book or document that deals exclusively with glider test flying? I've been searching and haven't found anything.

The A & A E E Technical Guide (Methods of Planning, Reduction and Analysis of Flight Tests) compiled by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment back in the 50s was issued to us at ETPS or did I obtain it at Boscombe Down ?

My copy is now taking on the appearance of an antique with pages going brown and edges well thumbed..

Not much in the guide on how best to do it in the air.

Will be surprised if ETPS, USAF TPS, USNTPS, NASA and NTPS don't have Flight Testing Methodology Handbooks.

Will querie the members of the Flight Test Society of Australia for further information on handbooks. Meanwhile others may be able to elaborate further.

Incidently it became necessary for the the RAAF to produce a Standard Tropical Atmosphere considering the extremely low upper air temperatures in the Oz tropics. Minus 90 C is not uncommon. Other world extreme cold upper air is close to the NW coast of South America.

I've just bought the 'Helicopter test and evaluation' book the SETP book with CD, and would like to thank those who brought them to my notice. They are the sort of books I have been looking for for ages!