INSTRUMENTATION FOR FLIGHT TESTING

QUESTION BANK AND ANSWER

UNIT – 1

SL.NO PART – A
1. What is meant by planning?
Flight Test Planning Flight test planning consists of the
organization and allocation of resources toward the
development of a flight test approach that will validate each
flight test objective.
2. Define master test plan.
The master test plan is a document that describes in detail how
the testing is being planned and how it will be managed across
different test levels.
Master test plan is a document that describes the objectives,
scope, approach, and focus of a software testing effort
3. What is meant by flight testing?
Flight testing is a branch of aeronautical engineering that
develops and gathers data during flight of an aircraft, or
atmospheric testing of launch vehicles and reusable spacecraft,
and then analyzes the data to evaluate the integrity and
aerodynamic flight characteristics of the vehicle in order to
validate the design, including safety aspects.
4. What is meant by certification of testing?
Type certification is the approval of the design of the aircraft
and all component parts (including propellers, engines, control
stations, etc.).
It signifies the design is in compliance with applicable
airworthiness, noise, fuel venting, and exhaust emissions
standards.
5. What can you infer from the term production phase?
This is mainly due to the unknowns of a new aircraft or launch
vehicle's handling characteristics and lack of established
operating procedures, and can be exacerbated if test pilot
training or experience of the flight crew is lacking For this
reason, flight testing is carefully planned in two phases:
 • Finding and fixing any design problems and then
• Verifying and documenting the vehicle capabilities for
government certification or customer acceptance.
6. How will you design the instrumentation system?
An instrumentation system (IS) is defined by this research as a set of
modules and services for collecting, forwarding, managing,
processing, consuming, and reacting to runtime information about a
parallel or distributed system.
7. What are the related softwares used for flight testing?
There are software tools that assess the path coverage and
code complexity during testing.
Logiscope and LDRA testbed tools are some of the popular
tools. Logiscope evaluates the coding and design quality
through static analysis of source code.
The dynamic analysis of code is used to measure path
coverage.
8. Define telemetry.
Telemetry is the collection of data from a remote and usually
fast-moving device for measurement purposes. It is used in
aircraft/missile testing to track moving objects in action or
collect data provided by instruments and sensors on the test
object or to track the space launch vehicles.
The word is derived from the Greek roots tele, "remote", and
metron, "measure"
9. What is meant by data analysis?
Flight Data Analysis is founded on Operational Flight Data
Monitoring (OFDM) which in North America has become
known as Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA).
It is a process which routinely captures and analyses recorder
data in order to improve the safety of flight operations.
10. Define ground testing.
Ground testing is mandatory for a new aircraft design or an
aircraft that has undergone significant structural modification.
Ground testing encompasses flight loads simulation, material
static and fatigue, structural dynamics, modal analysis,
airborne and structure borne acoustics and more.
SL.NO PART – B
1. How would you show your understanding in the design of the
flight testing systems?

FLIGHT TEST ENGINEERING

Flight test engineering uses science and mathematics to make
aeronautical vehicles and systems effective, efficient, and
more useful for mankind.
From determining the effectiveness of military radar systems
to researching techniques to reduce the sonic boom effects of
supersonic aircraft, flight test engineering applies the natural
laws of science to solve aeronautical and aerospace problems,
creating systems that can do more and aircraft that can fly
faster, higher, and farther than ever before.
The need for flight test means that the flight system or vehicle
under test requires accurate assessment in the flight
environment rather than relying on the results of ground-based
verification methods such as wind tunnels, simulators, and
software models.
Ground-based methods, although useful, are limited in their
ability to fully model the dynamic and true nature of actual
flight. These limitations are summarized below
• Adequate replication of actual flight conditions on the ground
is often impractical, if not impossible;
• Particular flight conditions may be insufficiently defined or
too complex to be replicated or simulated;
• All but the simplest of aircraft incorporate many systems
having complex interactions; those interactions may be more
difficult to fully investigate on the ground;
• Despite our best endeavors, significant discrepancies between
actual flight behavior and ground-based
• Predictions are common; flight test data are essential to both
improve and validate the accuracy of models and simulations.
❖ Performance: evaluation of performance abilities such
as aircraft speed or range, or system communication or
sensor accuracy.
❖ Structural: evaluation of aircraft or system loads to
 verify structural integrity.
❖ Handling qualities: aircraft’s controllability and
response to pilot inputs.

Virtual Flight Testing

A broad definition of Virtual Flight Testing (VFT) is given here. In a
wind tunnel, some kind of aircraft model, full-scaled or reduced
scaled, is supported by a model support system, which can insure the
free attitude motions of the model and limits the translational
motions of the model. The model support rig can be a solid strut
system with bearings, a wire suspension system with bearings, or
even a potential magnetic suspension system. The model directly or
indirectly responds to the model’s actuator and freely pitches, yaws,
and rolls or performs other maneuvers. The actuator is controlled by
the aircraft controller in real time. The indirect response means that
after the actuator moves, the model motion is driven by a forcing
mechanism with predicted attitude, which can be computed by real-
time measuring of the aerodynamic moment. In this way, an
equivalent free motion in response to the model controller can be
provided. For example, in Figure 1, the missile model freely pitches
and rolls on bearings, while yaws are equivalently forced by the top
mechanism with real-time predicted yaw position. With the VFT
defined here, attitude stability and control test can be performed. In
such a test, free rotation motions should be comparable to that of real
flights. To simulate real flight with VFT realistically, some similarity
criterions have to be satisfied, such as flow similarity and motion
similarity. In this test, attitude response and aerodynamic forces and
moments can be measured and fed back to the controller. If
kinematical equations are added into the FCS loop of VFT, 6 DOFs
motions of aircraft can be simulated (such as VFT shown in
Figure 2 or Figure 11). With such a VFT system, guidance and
navigation test can be performed. Brief introduction towards these
VFT tests will be introduced in Sections 2 and 3.
❖ (1)Compared to captive wind tunnel test, the motion form of
VFT is free motion, while the motion form of captive wind
tunnel tests is forced motion
❖ .(2)VFT is quite similar to wind tunnel 1-DOF. Their common
features are reflected in that their model supports both adopt a
contact-type mechanical rig, and their motion forms of model are
both free motions. The differences are that VFT is not just
limited to 1-DOF, and the flight control system (FCS) is added
in VFT.
❖ (3)Compared to wind tunnel free-flying tests (including low
speed free-flight, high speed free-flight, and free
spin/tumble/fall), though the model motion form of VFT is also
free motion, the model of VFT is constrained by a contact-type
mechanical rig. Such a rig will inevitably bring some
aerodynamic interference to the test article, while the models of
wind tunnel free-flying tests are unconstrained, which can get rid
of the aerodynamic interference of model support.
❖ (4)As for the applications for flight dynamic researches, VFT
 can not only be applied for some traditional purposes, such as
stability derivatives measuring, control law design and
evaluation, and spin/tumble recovery performances evaluation
(see Section 2.3), but also be applied for some new purposes,
such as flight performances evaluation due to the capability of
simulating the aircraft trajectory in VFT.

2. What actions would you take to perform the detailed plan for
flight testing?
INTRODUCTION
When modifications are introduced to an aircraft, it is often
necessary to check how that modification has affected the aircraft’s
flying characteristics. Where possible, LAA Engineering will
prescribe a standard flight test schedule to be completed, which will
capture all of the necessary information about the aircraft’s handling
and performance that will enable LAA Engineering to approve the
modification. Occasionally, LAA Engineering will ask the assessing
pilot to provide a ‘narrative test report’ describing the effect of the
modification on the aircraft.
LAA Engineering might specify what characteristics need to be
assessed (e.g. by reference to a particular paragraph of an
airworthiness code) or the pilot might need to liaise with LAA
Engineering to determine which tests need to be flown. Some tests
will require careful planning in order that they are conducted safely.
This Technical Leaflet does not cover such issues.
REPORT FORMAT
Although there is no formal requirement for a ‘narrative report’ to
 take a particular form, it should contain all of the relevant
information. The guiding principle should be that another pilot with a
flight test report in hand should be able to replicate the flights and (in
theory) obtain the same results.
The reports should contain three main sections:
❖ General information.
❖ Details of the tests flown and the results observed.
❖ Recommendations and conclusions.
For a simple modification, the report is likely to be less than one side
of paper, but a complex modification might run to several sheets.
GENERAL INFORMATION
As a minimum, the report should contain:
• Details of the aircraft (registration and type).
• Reference to the modification being looked at (LAA
modification number and brief
• description)
• Requirement to be met/satisfied
• Date(s) of the test flight(s).
• Name(s) of the crew.
• Location of the test(s) (e.g. airfield name).
• Prevailing weather conditions.
• - Configuration of the aircraft (weight, cg position, etc)

3. What do you remember about the master test planning in flight

test planning and also highlight the importance of testing?
▪ Analyze the product
▪ Design the Test Strategy
▪ Define the Test Objectives
▪ Define Test Criteria
▪ Resource Planning
▪ Plan Test Environment
▪ Schedule & Estimation
▪ Determine Test Deliverables
4. How can you describe the certification of flight test planning and
also outline the various steps in certification?
The process for civil aircraft by which type certification is achieved
comprises four steps. These are outlined below, but additional details
can be found from EASA (2010), Type certification [EASA, 2010]
and FAA Order 8110.4C [FAA, 2011]
1. Technical Overview and Certification Basis The product
designer presents the project to the primary certificating authority
(PCA) - EASA in EU, FAA in USA - when it is sufficiently mature.
The certification team and the set of rules (Certification Basis) that
will apply for the certification of this specific product type are
established. In principal this agreed certification basis remains
unchanged for a period of five years for an aircraft, three years for an
engine.
2. Certification Programme The PCA and the designer define and
agree on the means to demonstrate compliance of the product type
with every requirement of the Certification Basis. Also at this stage
the level of regulatory involvement is proposed and agreed.
3. Compliance demonstration The designer has to demonstrate
compliance of the aircraft with regulatory requirements: for all
elements of the product e.g. the airframe, systems, engines, flying
qualities and performance. Compliance demonstration is done by
analysis combined with ground and flight testing. The PCA will
perform a detailed examination of this compliance demonstration, by
means of selected document reviews and test witnessing.
 4. Technical closure and Type Certificate issue When technically
satisfied with the compliance demonstration by the designer, the
PCA closes the investigation and issues a Type certificate. For
European-designed aircraft, EASA delivers the primary certification
which is subsequently validated by other authorities for registration
and operation in their own countries, e.g. the FAA for the USA.
Similarly EASA will validate the FAA certification of US-designed
aircraft. This validation is carried out under a Bilateral Aviation
Safety Agreement (BASA) between the states concerned.
Notes:
a. A Type Certificate applies to an aircraft (engine or propeller) of a
particular Type Design. Every individual aircraft of that type has to
gain its own Certificate of Airworthiness C of A which is achieved
when it can be shown to conform to the certificated Type Design and
is in a condition for safe operation. As a general rule civil aircraft are
not allowed to fly unless they have a valid C of A.
b. Organisation approvals, issued under Part 21, are based on
regulatory assessment of capability, facilities, manpower, resources
and quality assurance systems in relation to the tasks undertaken.
Helpful supporting standards in this respect are AS/EN 9100 and
AS/EN9120B [SAE, 2016].
c. Certification of military aircraft has in the past not followed the
typical Type Certification Process outlined above. However since
2010 in Europe a very similar process has been evolved by the
European Defence Agency (EDA). Known as the Military
Airworthiness Authorities (MAWA) Forum [EDA, 2017], one of the
documents published is a military guide to certification, denoted
EMAR21 [EDA, 2016]. The documents are issued
as requirements and do not have leg

5. Elaborate on the principle used in design of instrumentation

system.

6. How would you show your understanding in the design of the

computer system and its related software system.
 UNIT – II

SL.NO PART – A
1. Define measurement system.
The primary unit of measurement of altitude and elevation or height
is the metre. However, the most widely used unit of measurement in
aviation is the foot. Metric altitudes and flight levels are used in
certain countries.
2. What is meant by S.I unit system?
International System of Units (SI), French Système International
d'Unités, international decimal system of weights and measures
derived from and extending the metric system of units
3. What is meant by error?
An error can be defined as the difference between the true value and
the measured value.
4. Classify the errors and give an example.

5. Define sensor.
A sensor is a device that detects the change in the environment and
responds to some output on the other system.
6. What do you remember about transducers?
Essentially a transducer is an electronic device which converts
energy from one form to another. Some examples you may be
familiar with include microphones and loudspeakers.
7. What is the main idea of data acquisition systems?
A data acquisition system is a collection of software and hardware
that allows one to measure or control physical characteristics of
something in the real world. A complete data acquisition system
consists of DAQ hardware, sensors and actuators, signal
conditioning hardware, and a computer running DAQ software.
8. Compare sensors and transducers.
 9. What is meant by digital data acquisition system?
All data acquisition systems consist of three essential elements –
Sensor, Signal Conditioning, and Analog-to-Digital Converter
(ADC).
10. What can you infer from the term data acquisition?
Data acquisition is the process of sampling signals that measure real
world physical conditions and converting the resulting samples into
digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer.

UNIT – III

SL.NO PART - A
1. Define telemetry science.
Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at
remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving
equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived
from the Greek roots tele, "remote", and metron, "measure".
2. What is meant by frequency division multiplexing?
In telecommunications, frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) is a
technique by which the total bandwidth available in a
communication medium is divided into a series of non-overlapping
frequency bands, each of which is used to carry a separate signal.
3. Define frequency modulation.
Frequency Modulation (FM) is the encoding of information in a
carrier wave by changing the instantaneous frequency of the wave.
FM technology is widely used in the fields of computing,
telecommunications, and signal processing.

4. What is meant by pulse amplitude modulation?

Pulse modulation is a type of modulation in which the signal is
transmitted in the form of pulses. It can be used to transmit analogue
information. In pulse modulation, continuous signals are sampled at
regular intervals.

5. What is meant by pulse code modulation?

A digital technique that involves sampling an analog signal at regular
intervals and coding the measured amplitude into a series of binary
values, which are transmitted by modulation of a pulsed, or
intermittent, carrier.
6. Define time division multiplexing.
Time-division multiplexing (TDM) is a method of putting multiple
data streams in a single signal by separating the signal into many
segments, each having a very short duration. Each individual data
stream is reassembled at the receiving end based on timing.

7. Define radio link.

A radiophone circuit connecting two fixed points (as
interconnections with sections of ordinary wire circuit)
8. What can you infer from the term telemetry package?
Telemetry is the automated communication processes from multiple
data sources. Telemetry data is used to improve customer
experiences, monitor security, application health, quality, and
performance.
9. What is meant by telemetry hardware?
elemeters are the physical devices used in telemetry. It consists of a
sensor, a transmission path, and a display, recording, or control
device. Electronic devices are widely used in telemetry and can be
wireless or hard-wired, analog or digital.
10. What can you infer from the term noise restriction?
The permissible limit is 75 dB for daytime and 70 dB at night. In
commercial areas, it is 65 dB and 55 dB, while in residential areas it
is 55 dB and 45 dB during daytime and night respectively
 UNIT – IV

SL.NO PART – A
1. Define ground telemetry.
The principal function of a modern ground telemetry and command
system is to act as a gateway between the spacecraft and its
associated ground support segment. ... Because of the wide
difference between the two networks, the gateway is needed to act as
a translator between each network's distinct interfaces and protocols.
2. What is meant by demultiplexing?
Demultiplexing (Demuxing) is a term relative to multiplexing. It is
the reverse of the multiplexing process. Demultiplex is a process
reconverting a signal containing multiple analog or digital signal
streams back into the original separate and unrelated signals.
▪ 1-8 Demux,
▪ 1-16 Demux,
▪ 1-32 Demux.
3. Define frequency demodulation.
FM demodulation is a key process in the reception of a frequency
modulated signal. Once the signal has been received, filtered and
amplified, it is necessary to recover the original modulation from the
carrier. It is this process that is called demodulation or detection.

4. Compare Pulse amplitude and pulse code modulation

demultiplexing system.
5. What is meant by recorders?
Flight recorder, byname black box, instrument that records the
performance and condition of an aircraft in flight. Governmental
regulatory agencies require these devices on commercial aircraft to
make possible the analysis of crashes or other unusual occurrences.
6. How can you sort the parts of recorders?
Most modern recorders have three sections, called joints, that fit
together: the head, body, and foot.
7. What is meant by digital display units?
Definitions of digital display. a display that gives the information
in the form of characters (numbers or letters) synonyms:
alphanumeric display. types: LCD, liquid crystal display.
8. Compare LED and LCD displays.

9. What can you infer from the term segmental displays?

SEG stands for Silicone Edge Graphics, which are textiles that have
a strip of silicone sewn into the edges of the graphic. After being
sewn in, the silicone edging is inserted into an extruded aluminum
frame creating a smooth, seamless fabric graphic.
10. What are the necessity of recorders?
A recorder records electrical and non-electrical quantities as a
function of time. Currents and voltages can be recorded directly
while the non-electrical quantities are recorded indirectly by first
converting them to equivalent currents or voltages with the help of
sensors or transducers.
 UNIT – V

SL.N PART - A
O
1. What is meant by IRIG system?
ntroduction. The IRIG time codes were originally developed by the
Inter-Range Instrumentation Group (IRIG), part of the Range
Commanders Council (RCC) of the US Army.
2. What are the sources of TSPI system?

3. What is meant by radar range instrumentation?

▪ Range instrumentation radars are the prime source of. metric
data for both noncooperative and cooperative targets. on the
world ranges
▪ Most radars, in practice, operate between 400 MHz to 36 GHz;
however, there are some notable exceptions.

4. Define Time space position and information system.

The Time-Space-Position Information (TSPI) Version 2.0 standard
provides a single means of encoding spatiotemporal information for
the storage, manipulation, interchange, and exploitation of
spatiotemporal data.
5. What can you infer from the term IRIG?
The iRig allows you to use your iPhone (and other compatible devices
such as the iPod Touch and iPad) as a mobile effects rig for your
electric guitar and bass using a custom version of their award winning
AmpliTube software.
6. What are types of radar range instrumentation system?
Bistatic radar. ...
Continuous-wave radar. ...
Doppler radar. ...
Monopulse radar. ...
Passive radar. ...
 Instrumentation radar. ...
Weather radars. ...
Mapping radar.
7. Define radar range equation.

8. Define global positioning system.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a navigation system using
satellites, a receiver and algorithms to synchronize location, velocity
and time data for air, sea and land travel
9. What are the sources of TSPI verification?

10. What is meant by differential global positioning system?

A Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) is an enhancement
to the Global Positioning System (GPS) which provides improved
location accuracy, in the range of operations of each system, from the
15-metre (49 ft) nominal GPS accuracy to about 1–3 centimetres
(0.39–1.18 in) in case of the best implementations.