Keeping the Balance Between Performance and Safety: Mission Impossible?

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

Abstract

In 2013, Airbus was contacted by a major production company who wanted to investigate the possibility of using the A400M in a forthcoming film. After initial discussions, it became clear that the request was rather unusual because the aim of the production company was to film scenes with an actor attached to the exterior of the fuselage. Furthermore it was intended to use genuine footage rather than simulated scenes. Due to the extensive cost of the operation, it was required to achieve the task in the shortest possible space of time.

The aim of this paper is to present the approach used during the preparation and execution of this rather unusual task, which was performed by the development flight test team under special authorisation from the French aviation authorities. Elements of the safety analysis performed jointly by Airbus and the production company will be discussed in detail, highlighting the similarities between the two approaches and explaining the benefits that such collaboration can provide.