1. Federal Aviation Administration FLIGHT TEST SAFETY DATABASE Presented to: European Flight Test Safety Workshop Vienna, Austria By: John Hed, Flight Test Engineer FAA Seattle Aircraft Certification Office Date: 11 November, 2009 An Online Resource for Flight Test Safety Planning

2. Federal Aviation Administration 2 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria Outline Description/Goal Background Demo Status Summary & Conclusion

3. Federal Aviation Administration 3 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria Description/Goal To develop an interactive web site where we could consolidate flight test safety info in one central location. –Allow testers easy access to a wide range of safety info Allows user to pick and choose what safety items to use. –Help ‘spread the knowledge’ of flight test safety techniques There should be no ‘secrets’ out there.

4. Federal Aviation Administration 4 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria Database Background Challenges: –Lots of different kinds of flight tests! –By definition, many are quite hazardous. Nobody wants to see friends get injured or killed. –Test assets are getting too expensive. –Many different test organizations all over the world. –Everyone does safety a little bit differently. –Great deal of ‘corporate knowledge’ out there but not documented and thus ‘dies’ with the owner.

5. Federal Aviation Administration 5 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria 1997 - FAA Order 4040.26A required implementation of a risk management process that: –Identifies hazards –Assess the risks –Identifies/implements mitigating actions –Accept risk at appropriate level We still found every office did safety differently Database Background

6. Federal Aviation Administration 6 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria Database Background Solution: –FAA began to develop internal database (2001). –NASA began work on “Flight Test Safety Handbook” with eye towards internet also. –Teamed together to develop an online database. –National Test Pilot School contracted to gather FAA data. –Other groups formed to gather military, development and other data (e.g. Icing, high AOA, propulsion…).

7. Federal Aviation Administration 7 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria http://pbma.nasa.gov/ftsdb/Home.aspx On-line Demo Flight Test Safety Database

8. Federal Aviation Administration 8 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria Database Status & Update Mostly complete with FAA data input. Continuing to gather more data: –Military and R&D data –Reference data (videos, experts, test centers, etc…) –Continue with Monthly telecons Complete with ‘off-line’ input method Just completed redesign to improve “look and feel” Continuous debugging and interface improvements Future: –Incorporate lessons learned. –Populate reference area

9. Federal Aviation Administration 9 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria Disclaimer The 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.

10. Federal Aviation Administration 10 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria Conclusion Flight testing presents many unique safety challenges. To meet these challenges we must apply proven safety practices. Past experience has demonstrated that we are vulnerable to safety risks/hazards (we constantly ‘re- learn old lessons). To increase safety, we MUST share safety data. –Workshops –FTSDb

11. Federal Aviation Administration 11 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria WE NEED YOUR HELP ! Please Register –So we can track usage. –So we can send you updates. PLEASE give us feedback. –The good and the bad! –Suggestions for improvements. Bart Henwood, (barton.e.henwood@nasa.gov), 661-276-5746barton.e.henwood@nasa.gov Joe Orwat, (joe.orwat-1@nasa.gov), 661-276-3866joe.orwat-1@nasa.gov John Hed, (john.hed@faa.gov), 425-917-6518john.hed@faa.gov PLEASE GO AND USE THE SITE ! http://pbma.nasa.gov/ftsdb/Home.aspx http://pbma.nasa.gov/ftsdb/Home.aspx

12. Federal Aviation Administration 12 Flight Test Safety Database Brief 11 November 2009, Vienna, Austria Thank You ! Questions ?