Delivering Mail to Santa Claus (or How to Perform Avionics Testing at Extreme Latitudes)

Jim FAWCETT, Lead Flight Test Engineer, Airbus Development Flight Test Department, Toulouse, France

Abstract

In March 2014, an A400M test aircraft performed an overflight of the North Pole, departing from and returning to Toulouse on the same day. No other A400M test aircraft has ever visited this region before or since.

The origin of the flight was a test objective to verify the geographic coverage area of the aircraft’s SATCOM system at extreme latitudes. However, on an opportunity basis, the behaviour of the flight management, navigation, autopilot and HF radio systems at extreme latitudes was also performed. The cabin temperature control in cold atmospheric conditions was also tested. Further, since two refuelling stops were required, advantage was taken to verify taxi performance on frozen, snow-covered runways (Kiruna in Sweden) and landing aid performance in cold weather/high latitude (Longyearbyen in Svalbard). The landing at Longyearbyen was the first ever visit of an Airbus test aircraft to this remote airfield.

The aim of this paper is to present the test techniques associated with these different avionics systems. Such test techniques are often not well known or understood. Further, the logistical aspects of the operation will be discussed as they had a significant impact on the timing and planning of the overflight.