At the conclusion of the Flight Test Safety Workshop in May, Mr. Jerry Whites announced that after five years of service, he would be stepping down as Committee Chairman. Whites will remain on the Committee and has "passed the stick" onto Mr. Tom Huff.
(L-R) Jerry Whites and New FTSC Chairman Tom Huff
Please click here to read an article by our recent 2017 Flight Test Safety Workshop Tutorial presenters, William Higgins and Daniel Boorman.
Or you may download the full detailed article here.
Click the link below to view the Videocasts from the Workshop!
Click the link below to view the Videocasts from the 2017 Workshop!
Click the link below to view the Videocasts from the 2018 Workshop!
Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP29 - Bell V-280 Lessons Learned
This month we talk with Mat McMenemy and Don Grove from Bell about Lessons Learned on the Bell V-280 program and in our look back in history we talk about Neil's Cross Country Flight.
Matt McMenemy is the Verification Manager for Bell on the V-280 / Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program.
Don Grove is the Military Chief Pilot for Bell and lead test pilot on the V-280 Valor program.
Bell V-280 Links
V-280 Valor website: https://www.bellflight.com/products/bell-v-280
Following Historic Development and Flight Test Program Bell V-280 Valor Focuses on FLRAA Competition
Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel
Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP28 - Comments, Cudas, and Crossing the Ocean
In our January podcast I asked for feedback on the pros and cons of simulator mission rehearsals and operationalizing lessons learned. This month I will share some listener feedback along with another real world example of putting flight test skills to practical use.
Criteria for the Tony LeVier Flight Test Safety Award.
Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel
Click HERE to download an article written by John Hed, FTSC Member, on High Altitude Testing.
Many, if not most, FAA Part 25 (Transport) aircraft want to get certified for high altitude airport operations. These operations put challenges on the aircraft in various ways that need to be tested and certified. This includes mainly pressurization systems and engine operations (starting and thermal issues). The FAA allows for 3000’ extrapolation of flight test data. The highest commercial airport is approximately 14,500’ so testing is desired at 11,500 or above. A commonly used major airport test location is at La Paz, Bolivia (13,325’). Testing at high altitudes presents some unique safety issues, mainly physiological, that I will discuss below.
A new checklist has been added to our Recommended Practices portion of the website:
In 2012 the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published its final report on the Gulfstream G-650 accident. The Flight Test Safety Committee (FTSC) was requested to respond to the NTSB’s recommendations from that report. Here is the response from the FTSC.