FLIGHT TEST DATABASE MANAGEMENT

Planning to store flight test data in a proper format so that one can easily access them as and when required is a good idea. Also, the results of the analysis should be archived in a proper format. The flight database management system/SW (FDBMS) is required to keep track of vast amounts of data, relevant information, and the associated test/parameter-estimation results [16,17]. The SW should be interactive and the user or analyst should be able to enter/retrieve the required data/information with simple queries. The data could be of a huge volume and it is necessary to manage and store valuable and large data/information in a suitable way, which would enable the analyst select a particular section of data/information for analysis or demonstration as and when required. Also, the parameter-estimation results (obtained from these data) should be carefully stored, with clear indication of association of these results with the corresponding section of flight data for future references. This can only be achieved with planned and properly defined DBMS. DBMS will have a number of utility routines like query building, presentation of the results in graphical forms, and plotting of flight data, in addition to usual features such as database creation/manipulation.

7.9.1 Basic Requirements

The basic requirements can be specified as follows [16]:

(a) Selection and classification of flight data such that the DBMS is invariant with reference to the type of the aircraft, flight test conditions, test maneu­vers, aircraft configuration, etc. It should provide queries for an interactive session.

(b) Organization of the actual flight data in the form of ASCII files and relevant information, data, or parameter estimation results in the data bank. There should be clear indication of association of this information with the corresponding flight data in the ASCII files.

(c) Strategy and methodology for quick access to flight data and relevant information and the results with respect to the user requirement.

(d) Development of utility routines for generating various graphical outputs. These outputs are used for quick visual checking on the terminal screen, the generation of report quality plots, and documentation of results.

7.9.2 Selection and Classification of Flight Data

For implementation of the DBMS it is important to create a data bank with a reasonable classification system for easy and quick entry and retrieval of flight data. The flight data bank requires a properly defined data classification system, which is generally defined by the user.

7.9.2.1 Classification Based on Type of Maneuvers

Since certain flight tests are conducted with special maneuvers, for system identifi­cation it will be easy to identify the flight data for the required maneuvers, if the data are properly classified. The following letter coding could be useful:

(a) Short period and phugoid (SPP)

(b) Dutch roll oscillation (DRO)

(c) Roll maneuver (ROL)

(d) Roller coaster (RLC)

(e) Wind-up turn (WUT)

(f) Level acceleration deceleration (LAD)

(g) Slowdown (SLD)

Similarly any other maneuver can be coded with three-letter words.