Udo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (7 years 10 months 1 week 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 2469 times:
I just came across an article by Bill Sweetman, dealing with the A380 Flight Test Program. It doesn't include latest news but some interesting facts and quotations by test pilots.
"It has a lot of inertia - you can't remove that. But otherwise there's no feeling of flying a large aircraft," says Claude Lelaie, svp of Airbus' flight division. But that is the point of the A380's flight control system: to make the aircraft respond as much like other Airbus types as possible, to facilitate cross-crew qualification for mixed-fleet operators. "When the controls are perfectly tuned, you won't be able to tell if you�re on an A340 or A380."
The flight tests are performed with two pilots and two-to-three flight test engineers, with engineer stations on the upper and lower decks. A third cockpit crew member is carried to help the pilots monitor and manage the aircraft configuration during high-workload tests. Four telemetry ground stations provide coverage of up to 14,000 datapoints on each flight.
The next aircraft to join the test program will be MSN 004, which will be heavily instrumented for performance testing standard empty weight. It should start tests before the end of the summer.
MSN 002 is the next test aircraft in the manufacturing sequence, tasked with testing cabin systems - particularly over long flights. The program will start with one to two months of preliminary tests, followed by four or five "early long flights" carrying a full complement of passengers drawn from Airbus employees.
After any problems are fixed, MSN 002 and MSN 007, the fourth test aircraft, will be used for 300 hours of route proving. MSN 002 will have a Thales IFE system and 007 will have a Panasonic system. The final test aircraft is MSN 009, which will be dedicated to testing the Engine Alliance GP7200 engine, which is due to be certificated in October.
"In 22 years at Airbus this is the best flight test program I have ever known," says Fernando Alonso, vp for flight test at Airbus. "It has gone so well that on flight 13 we invited the EASA flight certification pilot to fly with us." A dozen pilots have flown the A380 so far, each requiring no more than a single check flight in the right-hand seat before taking over in the left.
Most pilots flying a larger aircraft like a little more feedback. It's like a Smart Car vs. a Hummer. You wouldn't want to drive a Hummer that felt like the front end was coming off, likewise you wouldn't want to drive a Smartcar that felt like it weighed a couple of tons.
Squirrel83 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (7 years 10 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 2069 times:
Quoting Udo (Thread starter): "When the controls are perfectly tuned, you won't be able to tell if you�re on an A340 or A380."
Hmm, thats a kewl but what about landings in refrence to weight . .
IM not quite sure how to explain this but . . .
A little Like Boeing7E7 stated -
Most pilots flying a larger aircraft like a little more feedback. It's like a Smart Car vs. a Hummer. You wouldn't want to drive a Hummer that felt like the front end was coming off, likewise you wouldn't want to drive a Smartcar that felt like it weighed a couple of tons.
Jetter2 From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 138 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 10 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 2018 times:
As a Pilot, it is almost a requiment for the aircraft to talk to you.
I wouldn't remove the feedback from an aircraft...comparing that A340 and the A380 is a HUGE weight diffrence. If I were flying that thing, I would want it to fly like a big peice of metal that it is.
Magyar From Hungary, joined Feb 2000, 596 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (7 years 10 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 1996 times:
>>
Most pilots flying a larger aircraft like a little more feedback. It's like a Smart Car vs. a Hummer. You wouldn't want to drive a Hummer that felt like the front end was coming off, likewise you wouldn't want to drive a Smartcar that felt like it weighed a couple of tons.
<<
I doubt that the pilots' preference is the most important
issue here. One should not forget that these beasts (including all Boeing models) are here to fly people/cargo
safely and cheap, and not to please the pilots.
And just a side note on the Hummer. I would not drive
that "waste of material and resources" regardless how
it feels. I would sell it immidiately.
Boeing7E7 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (7 years 10 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 1916 times:
Quoting Magyar (Reply 6): I doubt that the pilots' preference is the most important issue here.
That's a load of crap.
Quoting Magyar (Reply 6): One should not forget that these beasts (including all Boeing models) are here to fly people/cargo safely and cheap, and not to please the pilots.
So feedback when operating a vehicle of this mass isn't relevant, man you're kinda lost there.
Quoting Magyar (Reply 6): And just a side note on the Hummer. I would not drive
that "waste of material and resources" regardless how it feels. I would sell it immidiately.
But that's irrelivant. In terms of scale however it's about right.
BuyantUkhaa From Mongolia, joined May 2004, 2778 posts, RR: 3 Reply 8, posted (7 years 10 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1915 times:
Slightly confused here, if the second plane to fly is MSN004, then what's the meaning of an MSN? If it is not ranked by delivery, then what? Start of production? Seems strange to me - same with MSN007
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