Flight Testing the Airbus Military A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) Hose and Drogue AAR Systems: Challenges, Successes and Lessons Learnt

Sara Fernández, Airbus Military Development Flight Test, Air Vehicle Analysis, Getafe, Spain
Jorge Fuentes, Airbus Military Development Flight Test. MRTT-Derivatives Manager, Getafe, Spain

Abstract

Hose and Drogue AAR systems are well known but as with any other aircraft integration programmes, challenges can present themselves. This paper summarizes the history of how issues during the flight test programme were identified, categorized and understood with the help of the Flight Test Instrumentation and “active” observation. Accurate requirements, an organized methodology and data synergy were required to understand, decide and feed the route to refinement and tuning of the AAR system. This is gathered in this paper as a compilation of lessons learnt and good practice for AAR Flight Test.