1. Technical Flights - The AIRBUS view
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
Flight Safety Foundation – Functional Check Flight Symposium
Technical Flights - The AIRBUS view
Presented by
Captain Harry NELSON / Experimental Test Pilot
Captain Jean-Michel ROY / Test Pilot

2. Why the concern with Technical Flights?
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
Why the concern with Technical Flights?
Recent incidents and accidents
We think we may be only seeing the tip of the iceberg
Our experience with Customer Acceptance Flights
Queries and questions from Customer Airlines

3. What we will cover today
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
What we will cover today
A common sense view on Check flights
Planning and preparation
Execution
2. Crewing
Composition
Selection
Training
3. Technical Flight Familiarisation Course
Some thoughts on the way forward

4. 1 Planning and Preparation
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Planning and Preparation
Some practical things to think about
Aircraft
Airfield
ATC and Airspace
Weather
Checklists
Check Schedules

5. 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
Options include
a. A detailed check schedule for each type of check
b. A master check schedule with deletes
c. We offer an “In Service Aircraft Test Manual” (ISATM)
Associate warnings and limits with check to be done
Hard limits need clear DO NOT EXCEED warnings
Avoid writing a check sequence over two pages
Make them easy to handle. Not too big or detailed

6. 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
Production Aircraft Test Manual (PATM)
Customer Acceptance Manual (CAM)
In Service Aircraft Test Manual (ISATM )

7. 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
Production Aircraft Test Manual (PATM)
Tests on new serial a/c after production
The purpose of the PATM is to demonstrate that the aircraft:
* conforms with the type and individual certificate to a Certificate of Airworthiness Standard
* meets its specifications,
* meets the standards of quality required for delivery
Under EASA Airbus Production Organisation Approval (POA) , accepted as such by the FAA and most other authorities.

8. 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
Customer Acceptance Manual (CAM)
The CAM is the compilation of check procedures agreed between Airbus and a Customer as part of the customer technical acceptance of a new aircraft. It is used to demonstrate technical compliance with a contract
It covers both ground and flight checks but unlike the PATM it can be carried out in any order i.e. Flight before Ground Checks.
It should not be used as an airworthiness demonstration
There is no control over the weather
Mixing the objective of the flight can create safety issue
There is a mixed background crew

9. 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules
In Service Aircraft Test Manual (ISATM)
The ISATM is a manual containing the procedures for ground and flight tests to be performed by Airbus personnel on an in service aircraft (ex: after a working party or for an aircraft transfer between Airbus and another party)
It must be performed in a specified order
It is offered to Customers who request help, prior to a check flight, under letter of waiver as a PDF file, the intention being that they create their own check schedule from it, duly considering all the “local” issues.

10. 1 Execution There are many elements to master in a check sortie.
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Execution
There are many elements to master in a check sortie.
Briefing
Pre take off
Take-off
Switching
Communication
Workload
Different flight plans
The day/night question
Cabin systems
More difficult check points

11. 1 Execution – More difficult check points
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Execution – More difficult check points
Identify which check points carry more risk
Pre flight, plan how to fly them and then stick to your plan
Decide and brief “break off” points
If things don’t look right they are probably wrong – so stop
Take care with breaks in the sequence
Don’t be tempted to “take a look” at certification test points

12. 1 Execution – More difficult check points
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
1 Execution – More difficult check points
….. Remember the old ZEN wisdom of
“Never test the depth of the water with both feet at the same time”
Be failure minded and always consider your escape plan
….. Which also leads us nicely to the other Zen wisdom of
“If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you”

13. Have a strict no passengers policy
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
2 Crewing - Composition
A small technical crew group
Leadership
Crew composition:
Technical Flight Engineer
Cabin specialists
Have a strict no passengers policy

14. 2 Crewing – Selection Aircraft Theory Role Manage these paradoxes
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
2 Crewing – Selection
KNOWLEDGE
You can never have too much knowledge
You should never stop learning
You will never know it all
Aircraft
Theory
Role
SKILLS
EXPERIENCE
Observation
Interpretation
Analysis
Communication
“I’ve been here before ”
“it doesn’t feel right”
“a good nose”
‘a healthy fear”
Better risk evaluation
Better Prioritisation of task
Less errors
APTITUDE
Use of ALL senses
Approach Attitude
Logical Creative Flexible Persistent
Consistent Variable
Asking Telling Learning Knowing
Airmanship and Teamwork
Take care
10 = 10 or 1¹º
Motor skills
Under confidence Right Over Confidence
Manage these paradoxes
To achieve the right balance
INTEGRITY

15. FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
2 Selection – Summary
Egotistical X
Questionable integrity X
Indecisive X
Uninterested technically X
Takes criticism badly X
Avoids responsibility X
Impatient X
Inflexible X
Risk prone X
Loner X
Good Communicator 
Technically inquisitive 
Determined to get answers 
Good flying ability 
Admits errors and learns 
Takes responsibility 
Patient  Makes balanced judgments
“Defaults” towards Safety 
Team player 
Take time on people selection. It is the key to achieving real safety in the checking process.
February 2011
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium

16. FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
2 Crewing - Training
If you have good test trained personnel, use them in the technical checking role
2. If you have experienced check or acceptance flight crew, review their real experience and currency in the task Many are very good.
If you have neither, then you should train people or obtain
the services of trained people
There are several short introductory courses available
on the market, including the Airbus course called :
“Technical Flight Familiarization (TFF) Course”

17. Purpose of the TFF course
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
Purpose of the TFF course
Safety
Quality
Efficiency
Provide crew members with information on Knowledge, Skills and Attitude to better contribute to :
Technical flights (post maintenance, painting, etc.)
Acceptance flights (deliveries)
Familiarization course:
Attestation not a Rating

18. TFF course: A bridge between Aviators
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: A bridge between Aviators

19. TFF course: The instructors
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: The instructors
An experienced team:
A Test Pilot, and
A Flight Test Engineer
Used to work/fly together
Experienced:
Development flight tests
Production flight tests
Customer flights

20. TFF course: The trainees
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: The trainees
Technical Flight Crew is a crew of 3:
2 Pilots Prerequisites: rated and current on Aircraft type with at least 6 month experience
1 Technical Flight Engineer (TFE) Prerequisites:
A third pilot, or
A Flight Engineer who has followed a familiarization course on the type, or
A Maintenance Engineer who has successfully followed the applicable maintenance type rating course as per Part 147 or equivalent, or
A Flight Operations Engineer who has followed a familiarization course on the type

21. TFF course: The Syllabus
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: The Syllabus
DAY 1 2 3 4 5
PHASE
GROUND SCHOOL
FFS
FLIGHT
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3

22. TFF course: Ground school
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: Ground school
DAY 1 2 3 4 5
PHASE
GROUND SCHOOL
FFS
FLIGHT
Generic modules
Crew concept
Weather
ATC
Technical Flight Order
Pre-flight briefing
Recording of in-flight results
Post Flight Analysis

23. TFF course: Ground school
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: Ground school
DAY 1 2 3 4 5
PHASE
GROUND SCHOOL
FFS
FLIGHT
Aircraft specific modules (from ISATM)
Ground checks
Taxi checks
In-flight checks:
Flight controls
AFS
Systems (Pressurization....)
High Speed
Low Speed

24. TFF course: Ground school
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: Ground school
DAY 1 2 3 4 5
PHASE
GROUND SCHOOL
FFS
FLIGHT
Training Documentation:
ISATM
Course module hand-out

25. TFF course: FFS FFS is a great training device BUT:
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: FFS
DAY 1 2 3 4 5
PHASE
GROUND SCHOOL
FFS
FLIGHT
FFS is a great training device BUT:
Limited to reproduce flight acceleration => Motion ON or OFF according to checks
Some “maintenance” functions not simulated (AIDS..)
FFS 1 (4h): Normal system operation
Instructor pilot in RH seat (demo => practice)
FFS 2 (4h): Some system malfunctions
Both trainee pilot in pilot seat (PF then PNF)

26. TFF course: Flight 2 hours per pilot (*2) Instructor pilot in RH seat
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: Flight
DAY 1 2 3 4 5
PHASE
GROUND SCHOOL
FFS
FLIGHT
2 hours per pilot (*2)
Instructor pilot in RH seat
Normal system operation
Use of AIDS

27. FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: Locations
DAY 1 2 3 4 5
PHASE
GROUND SCHOOL
FFS
FLIGHT
At Airbus Training centers (Toulouse, Miami, Beijing, ...)
At Customer Training center
DAY 1 2 3 4 5
PHASE
GROUND SCHOOL
FFS
FLIGHT
On customer aircraft at customer base
On Airbus development aircraft

28. TFF course: Experience & Customer feedback
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: Experience & Customer feedback
First course in Sept 09 on A320
6 airlines/27 crew members already trained
In TLS and at customer base
Very positive feedback (videos)

29. TFF course: Looking forward
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
TFF course: Looking forward
Course available now on all Airbus FBW aircraft
Delivered on a monthly basis typically 2 crews (of 3) per session

30. 4 Possible ways to go forward
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
4 Possible ways to go forward
Fully evaluate, discuss and recognize the issue
Need for care with the solution i.e Pros & cons of regulation OPTIONS
Do nothing (a no change decision)
Publicize the issue across the industry
Regulate - If so at what level?

31. 4 Possible ways to go forward
FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium
February 2011
4 Possible ways to go forward
Some things to be discussed
Responsibilities of Authorities, Manufacturers, Airlines, and individual Qualified Checkers
Qualification of Check flight courses and instructors
Would any qualification be type specific or generic, or can the course have both generic and specific elements?
If so, what will be the validity of each?
Would any qualification be “tied” to an airline or location
How many checkers to qualify per fleet size?
Check flight currency – Guidance or rules
Check crew composition (position and qualification)
Liability