High Altitude Testing Article
Click HERE to download an article written by John Hed, FTSC Member, on High Altitude Testing.
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.