Safe Flight Tests, a Contradiction or Achieveable

Con Kranenburg, Netherlands Aerospace Centre NLR, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract

Scope: In recent years we have seen a lot of accidents, and assumable more incidents we don’t even know of, during flight tests. On a worldwide scale the accidents are still very rare, but …. every one is one too much. Of course most flight tests are executed to search for and find the boundaries of a flight envelop and therefore in principal very risky for the chance of exceeding the limitations of the aircraft or of the crew. But pushing our boundaries with new technology is something mankind has been doing for centuries and by doing so we are trying to make the world a better and more exciting place to live in. But are we aware of the balance between Performance and Safety?

Objectives: In the paper the framework will be sketched with current rules and regulations that are defined to improve the safety during potential high risk performance flight tests. Rules and regulations shouldn’t be barriers for innovation but should improve the awareness of things that can go wrong. Maybe a solution can be found in procedures and open communication between all team members in order to prevent that time and cost overruns will be the driving factors for more fatalities during future flight tests.

Major conclusion: The balance should be on safety because the human life is valuable and almost priceless.