1. Federal Aviation Administration FAA FLIGHT TEST RISK MANAGEMENT Presented to: Flight Test Safety Workshop Melbourne, Florida By: Rod Huete, FAA Test Pilot John Hed, FAA Flight Test Engineer Date: May, 2008

2. Federal Aviation Administration 2 FAA Flight Test Risk management Outline FAA Flight Test Organization/ Mission Safety Challenges as Regulatory Agency –Specific to type of certification activity –Generic Accidents/Incidents Flight Test safety / Risk Management Program Flight Test Safety Database Demo Conclusions

3. Federal Aviation Administration 3 FAA Flight Test Risk management Organization Small A/C Directorate Air TrafficAirports Regional ACO Transport A/C Directorate Engine/Propeller Directorate Department of Transportation FAA Aviation Safety Aircraft Certification Service Rotorcraft Directorate Regional ACO

4. Federal Aviation Administration 4 FAA Flight Test Risk management Aircraft Certification Service The Aircraft Certification Service is the FAA organization responsible for: –Certification approval of: New and modified aircraft produced by U.S. Manufacturers (Type Certificates (TC)) U.S. modifications to aircraft (Supplemental Type Certificates (STC)) –Validation of foreign certified aircraft operated by U.S. operators –Continuing airworthiness of: Aircraft with U.S. TCs Aircraft operated by U.S. operators

5. Federal Aviation Administration 5 FAA Flight Test Risk management Aircraft Certification Office (ACO) Responsibilities Flight test evaluation of: –Performance & Handling qualities –Systems performance (e.g. AFCS) –Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) procedures –Flight crew human factors Approval of Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) Assist in development of new flight test requirements, advisory material and guidance

6. Federal Aviation Administration 6 FAA Flight Test Risk management TC Projects Normally working with well established design and testing organizations (at least for the major manufacturers): –Experienced engineering staff in all disciplines –Excellent knowledge of products –Sound understanding of flight test requirements and advisory material –Experienced flight test personnel –Comprehensive procedures for flight testing

7. Federal Aviation Administration 7 FAA Flight Test Risk management OEM’s Flight Testing Establishes the limit flight envelope through progressive, incremental development Specifically assigned project pilots (pilot and copilot) thoroughly familiar with test aircraft, special limitations and procedures, and status of aircraft systems –Handling pilot can generally concentrate on the test –Copilot can generally concentrate on monitoring aircraft flight and system status (in addition to ATC, navigation and other aspects) –Varied level of responsibility accorded to Flight Test Engineers/Observers Manufacturer’s testing encompasses most required certification tests

8. Federal Aviation Administration 8 FAA Flight Test Risk management New Aircraft Approvals – Safety Concern Generally “end point” with little or no work-up Simulators have not always been available to support certification programs Limited use of telemetry FAA pilot not as familiar with aircraft as the OEM pilot High workload on: –FAA pilot; and, –Manufacturer’s pilot who has to monitor aircraft status, ATC and navigation, as well as test progress Potential for mishandling at limiting conditions

9. Federal Aviation Administration 9 FAA Flight Test Risk management STC Projects Many display, cockpit or avionics upgrades –Conversions to glass cockpits –Enhanced vision –Synthetic vision –Electronic flight bag Passenger to Cargo conversions Passenger/Cargo to firefighting Winglets and other drag reduction Engine upgrades …….

10. Federal Aviation Administration 10 FAA Flight Test Risk management STC Approvals – Safety Concern Little or no development flight testing Applicant’s tests often not done by experienced flight test personnel Generally the applicant’s pilot will not be a Test Pilot: –Will usually have a good operational understanding of the aircraft; but, May not understand the need for the test May not understand the test Can be resentful Higher probability of unexpected results during FAA certification tests

11. Federal Aviation Administration 11 FAA Flight Test Risk management Validation Projects For all major Transport Category aircraft to be operated by U.S. operators, FAA conducts a limited flight test assessment to: –Determine compliance with retained/unique FAA technical and/or design related operating requirements –Become familiar with the performance, handling and operating characteristics –Obtain sufficient knowledge of aircraft to support: Continuing airworthiness responsibilities U.S. modification activity

12. Federal Aviation Administration 12 FAA Flight Test Risk management Validation Approvals - Safety Concerns Low FAA crew proficiency in aircraft type. OEM may have very different safety procedures. Limited interaction with OEM so crews not familiar with each other. –Often language barriers –Procedure differences

13. Federal Aviation Administration 13 FAA Flight Test Risk management Generic Safety Challenges Unforeseen event (e.g. independent failure) Pilot blunder (e.g. inappropriate control input) Pilot misjudgment (e.g. landing rate of descent) Loss of situational awareness (e.g. due to fixation with test) Flight Test Engineer or crew blunder (e.g. incorrect airspeeds, incorrect config.) Aircraft deficiency (e.g. incomplete or misunderstood development tests) Continuing tests in adverse atmospheric conditions and/or inappropriate hours (e.g. due to schedule pressure)

14. Federal Aviation Administration 14 FAA Flight Test Risk management How We Dealt With These Challenges In The Past Safety process non existent as a formal process No Flight / Test Safety Officers identified Test safety dependent on individual test pilot / FTE experience or “company” processes Risk assessment / management frequently done real time No collection / distribution of lessons learned

15. Federal Aviation Administration 15 FAA Flight Test Risk management How We Now Deal With These Challenges Created a formal safety process (FAA Order 4040.26) Flight test safety officers assigned at ACOs Formal safety training required –CRM, Survival, Physiological… Sharing of safety practices and lessons learned –Safety meetings –Event reporting –Flight test safety database

16. Federal Aviation Administration 16 FAA Flight Test Risk management

17. Federal Aviation Administration 17 FAA Flight Test Risk management Typical FAA Accidents and Incidents

18. Federal Aviation Administration 18 FAA Flight Test Risk management

19. Federal Aviation Administration 19 FAA Flight Test Risk management

20. Federal Aviation Administration 20 FAA Flight Test Risk management

21. Federal Aviation Administration 21 FAA Flight Test Risk management

22. Federal Aviation Administration 22 FAA Flight Test Risk management FAA CERTIFICATION INCIDENT SUMMARY

23. Federal Aviation Administration 23 FAA Flight Test Risk management FAA Common Threat Areas Infant Mortality Runway Environment / Obstructions Lack of Confirmation of Applicant’s Test performance Pre-test Airworthiness Inspection (Conformity)

24. Federal Aviation Administration 24 FAA Flight Test Risk management Current FAA Flight Test safety / Risk Management Program Organizational structure based on system safety model FAA order 4040.26, Flight Safety Program –Flight Test Risk Management Process –Incident Reporting –Local Quarterly safety meeting –Flight Test Briefing Guide –Accident Response Plan

25. Federal Aviation Administration 25 FAA Flight Test Risk management Current FAA Flight Test safety / Risk Management Program – Cont’ Regulatory requirement for Risk Assessment Initial and recurrent safety training –Flight Test Safety course –Crew Resource Management (CRM) Flight Test Safety Database

26. Federal Aviation Administration 26 FAA Flight Test Risk management Organizational Structure Flight Program ExecutiveFlight Program Oversight Committee (FPOC) Flight Program Flight Safety Officer (FPFSO) Flight Program Manager (FPM) Facility FPC (Optional) Facility FSO * Operations Manual ACO Flight Test Manager / Flight Program Coordinator (FPC) Local Operations Manual

27. Federal Aviation Administration 27 FAA Flight Test Risk management FAA Flight Test Risk Management Process Risk Assessment required for all testsRisk Assessment required for all tests –Normally done by development of THAs Done by ACO, or Part of acceptable company processDone by ACO, or Part of acceptable company process TIA signature authority raised to appropriate levelTIA signature authority raised to appropriate level

28. Federal Aviation Administration 28 FAA Flight Test Risk management Incident Reporting/ Database

29. Federal Aviation Administration 29 FAA Flight Test Risk management Flight Test Safety Database Update An Online Resource for Flight Test Safety Planning

30. Federal Aviation Administration 30 FAA Flight Test Risk management Database Background Great deal of ‘corporate knowledge’ out there but not documented and thus ‘dies’ with the owner. Flight Testers are spread out all over the country. Everyone did safety differently. Order 4040.26A required implementation of a risk management process that: –Identifies hazards and probabilities –Identifies/implements mitigating actions –Estimate and accept risk

31. Federal Aviation Administration 31 FAA Flight Test Risk management Database Background Joined up with NASA to develop an online database of flight test safety info. NTPS contracted to gather FAA data. –Retrieve data from authorities and manufacturers –“Consolidate” it into master records for each test & hazard Other groups formed to gather military, development and other data. –Icing, High AOA, Propulsion…

32. Federal Aviation Administration 32 FAA Flight Test Risk management Database Status & Update Substantially complete with FAA Part 23 & 25 data input. Working on Parts 27/29 (Rotary) Continuing to gather military and developmental data Continuous small interface improvements NEW – Input module now online so you can input your own data or suggest edits of existing data. –Continuing to improve this with “offline” method also

33. Federal Aviation Administration 33 FAA Flight Test Risk management http://pbma.nasa.gov/ftsdb/Home.aspx On-line Demo Flight Test Safety Database

34. Federal Aviation Administration 34 FAA Flight Test Risk management Flight Test Safety Database Summary The matured THA database IS a wide array of test safety ideas and suggestions –But it is NOT an FAA-mandated solution –And it is NOT an auto-safety planning device The matured hazards, causes and mitigations are necessarily generic Your test will have unique problems and will require unique solutions The THA database can be an excellent starting point

35. Federal Aviation Administration 35 FAA Flight Test Risk management Conclusion As a regulatory Certificating Agency we face many flight test challenges Past experience has demonstrated that we are vulnerable to safety risks/hazards We have learned from our mistakes We are meeting the challenge by applying proven safety practices

36. Federal Aviation Administration 36 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Home Page

37. Federal Aviation Administration 37 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Login

38. Federal Aviation Administration 38 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Main Page

39. Federal Aviation Administration 39 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Home Page Vmca

40. Federal Aviation Administration 40 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Results Page

41. Federal Aviation Administration 41 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Combined THA

42. Federal Aviation Administration 42 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Results Page

43. Federal Aviation Administration 43 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Single THA

44. Federal Aviation Administration 44 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Update Page

45. Federal Aviation Administration 45 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB New THA

46. Federal Aviation Administration 46 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB Single THA

47. Federal Aviation Administration 47 FAA Flight Test Risk management FTSDB THA Input Wizard Summary