Development of Flight Test Instrumentation: An Evolutionary Approach

J.M. Klijn, National Aerospace Laboratory, NLR, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract

The development of flight test instrumentation at the National Aerospace Laboratory NLR is presently concentrated in a long term project called Advanced Flight Test Facilities. This project is based on a flexible concept of instrumentation, not only concerning the present system design itself but also with regard to maintainability in the future.

In the past the process of development of flight test instrumentation at NLR was closely related to the introduction of new types of aircraft, which made every new system rather revolutionary. In the new approach the flight test equipment is continuously developed in pace with the fast developments of electronic equipment in other fields of application. Parts of the systems have been introduced at an earlier stage in ongoing projects to be able to use the feedback of the operational teams.

In this paper the new instrumentation concept will be discussed and parts of it and their implementation will be highlighted. Examples of application will demonstrate how the more evolutionary approach of development of flight test instrumentation can contribute to an efficient conductance of flight test programs.