This course is aimed at aviation professionals (engineers and pilots) looking to gain an understanding of the flight test field. Participants initially receive instruction on flight test fundamentals including risk management, report writing, civil certification and a variety of subjects necessary to all flight testers. Instruction continues with an overview of the most important aircraft performance, flying qualities and avionics systems flight tests emphasizing compliance to civil and military specifications. The course is a mixture of academic lectures and practical exercises taking place on different types of aircraft and simulators. During the practical exercises students get the opportunity to apply the flight test principles taught in class and get exposure to a variety of flight test techniques and data gathering methods while they are also provided with some hands-on experience.
The basic program covers:
- Introduction to Flight Test
- Flight Test Instrumentation
- Safety and Risk in Flight Tests
- Report Writing
- Cockpit Assessment
- Civil Certification
- Test Planning
- Overview of Aircraft Performance Theory
- Aircraft Performance Flight Test Techniques
- Overview of Aircraft Flying Qualities Theory
- Flying Qualities Flight Test Techniques
- Handling Qualities Testing
- Variable Stability
- Introduction to AFCS
- Operational Test & Evaluation
- Introduction to Avionics
- Overview of Avionics Systems Principles
- Avionics Systems Flight Testing
- Cockpit Workload
Start dates: On-site in July/August 2024
Duration: 7 Weeks
Required Courses (four):
Flight Test Fundamentals ONLINE
This course provides the minimum knowledge to understand what Flight Testing is by covering a wide range of introductory subjects. This is commonly the first module test pilot and flight test engineer students will receive while attending a longer course at a Test Pilot School and is a pre-requisite for any further flight test courses. Instruction focuses on risk assessment, flight test instrumentation, report writing, civil certification, test planning, tests card creation and it leads up to the first item commonly evaluated in an aircraft, that of cockpit assessment. Upon completion of this course the students will gain an understanding of the flight test process from planning to execution, analysis and reporting for flight test purposes with reference primarily to civil specifications.. This course includes 50+ lecture hours.
Fixed Wing Performance Flight Test or Rotary Wing Performance Flight Test
This course provides an overview of either fixed wing or rotary wing aircraft performance flight testing, covering propeller, jet engine, and rotor performance. Key performance topics are addressed for both aircraft types, including take-off and landing, climb, descent, cruise, manoeuvring flight, and hover for rotary wing aircraft. Specific subjects such as rotor performance theory and Engine and Rotor Governing Assessment (ERGA) for helicopters are also explored. The course combines theoretical lectures with tutorials and workshops, where students develop performance models and data reduction templates using real flight data. Instruction focuses on flight test methods, test planning, data acquisition, and analysis, introducing participants to both civil and military specifications (CS23/25 for fixed wing and CS27/29 for rotary wing) and methods of demonstrating compliance when testing new or modified aircraft.
Fixed Wing Flying Qualities Flight Test or Rotary Wing Flying Qualities Flight Test
This course provides an overview of either fixed wing or rotary wing aircraft flying qualities flight testing. Instruction focuses on flight test methods, test planning, data acquisition, and analysis for both aircraft types. For fixed-wing aircraft, the course covers stability and control, handling qualities, including longitudinal, lateral, and directional static and dynamic stability, roll performance, stall characteristics, spinning, and closed-loop handling qualities. For rotary wing aircraft, topics include static and dynamic stability (longitudinal, lateral, and directional), low-speed regimes, aerodynamic derivatives, rotor dynamics, and the principles of helicopter vibration. Specific flight test topics such as Flight Controls Mechanical Characteristics (FCMC), autorotation, and helicopter Category A operations are also addressed. The course includes a mixture of theoretical lectures and hands-on tutorials/workshops where students apply flight test techniques using simulation tools. Participants are introduced to civil and military specifications (CS23/25 for fixed wing and CS27/29 and ADS-33E-PRF for rotary wing) and methods of demonstrating compliance when testing new or modified aircraft.
Introduction to Avionics Systems Flight Test
The Avionics Systems Flight Test module introduces students to the fundamental principles of operation of key aircraft avionic systems and then focuses on how these systems are tested to determine compliance with civil certification requirements. The civil certification process as applicable to avionic systems is covered in detail. Students are also introduced to anthropometric standards and ergonomic concepts in flight deck design and the applicable regulatory, guidance materials and recommended methods of demonstrating compliance when testing a new or modified avionic systems are presented.
The new facility features a 27,000 sq.ft. hangar, big enough to house ITPS’s expanding fleet of aircraft. The administration and classroom building have been extended by 15,000 square feet and feature six additional classrooms, a simulator centre, a state of the art Telemetry Room, additional student facilities and change rooms. The new building features additional briefing rooms, a flight crew ready room and much enlarged canteen area.
CYXU is a modern regional airport 5 nm north east of the city of London, Ontario. The airport is an international gateway airport with direct flights from Chicago and Detroit and Immigration and Customs facilities. It is as of 2009 the 20th busiest airport in Canada, which makes for efficient school operations with little to no delays due to traffic. The airport is south of Toronto and outside the Toronto (CYYZ) FIR and has close access to large sections of Class E and G airspace minimizing transit times for the execution of flight exercises which can be flown up to FL180 on a VFR flight plan but are Controlled VFR (CVFR) with flight control by Toronto Center above 12000 feet. Two dedicated test areas Delta and Juliet a low altitude one to 12000 and a high altitude one over Lake Huron, up to FL350, north west of London may be used by the school under an agreement with NAV Canada, the Canadian Air Traffic Control Authority. The school therefore enjoys a very favourable air traffic environment for its training operations.
