AX-O
Well Known Member
I called GRT today hoping that I could figure out a way to develop a flight test pages to use during tests. My goal was to have all the parameters related to a test point in one screen and use the ?snap? function to quickly save a picture of the data. This reduces the time post processing data, reduces the time off test conditions/re-establishing on test conditions, it provides a real time comparison of data and potentially increases safety since we don't have to write things down.
For example, if I am trying to evaluate air speed / altitude errors would it not be nice to have a page with the following time sync info:
System time
KIAS
KTAS
KGS (gps)
True heading (gps)
Wind speed/direction
VSI
Altimeter
OAT
PA
DA
Baro
That would allow for some great and simple post analysis of system errors?
Or what about engine performance when you are flying slow right above the stall speed and you are task saturated. Would it not be nice to ?snap? a picture of a test page with the following info:
System time
KIAS
RPM
EGTs
CHTs
Oil temp
Oil pressure
Manifold pressure
Engine percent power
We do those types of data collection in the flight test industry all the time. Why not in our airplanes? At work we have a simple trigger button (would compare to the ?snap? button on GRT) that when pressed marks all the data on the buss. That way the pilot only copies the system time and the engineer grabs that specific data for that specific test point for post data analisys. No need to hunt through loads of data or data reduction.
So my work around (not perfect) has been to use the checklist function on the GRT EFIS and instead of developing a checklist, developing a data collection page. So now I load the following and obtain somewhat of a flight test page. If I only had the capability display data on more than 60% of the screen, change the font to smaller characters, and be able to ?snap? a picture we would be golden.
LIST AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA
ITEM HOURMETER - %21%................I see Hour- 1234
ITEM FLIGHT TIME - %23%................I see FLIGHT TIME-1.2
ITEM OAT - %46%............................I see OAT-52C
ITEM INDICATED AIRSPEED - %47%...I see INDICATED AIRSPEED-120 kts
ITEM TRUE AIRSPEED - %48%...........I see TRUE AIRSPEED-125 kts
ITEM GROUNDSPEED - %73%............I see GROUNDSPEED-130 kts
ITEM WIND SPEED - %74%...............etc.
Would anyone else be interested in something like that? If so, I can call GRT again and see if we can work on that possibility. They told me no one has expressed that need. And no one has used the checklist page in the manner that I am currently using it. I guess necessity is the mother of invention.
For example, if I am trying to evaluate air speed / altitude errors would it not be nice to have a page with the following time sync info:
System time
KIAS
KTAS
KGS (gps)
True heading (gps)
Wind speed/direction
VSI
Altimeter
OAT
PA
DA
Baro
That would allow for some great and simple post analysis of system errors?
Or what about engine performance when you are flying slow right above the stall speed and you are task saturated. Would it not be nice to ?snap? a picture of a test page with the following info:
System time
KIAS
RPM
EGTs
CHTs
Oil temp
Oil pressure
Manifold pressure
Engine percent power
We do those types of data collection in the flight test industry all the time. Why not in our airplanes? At work we have a simple trigger button (would compare to the ?snap? button on GRT) that when pressed marks all the data on the buss. That way the pilot only copies the system time and the engineer grabs that specific data for that specific test point for post data analisys. No need to hunt through loads of data or data reduction.
So my work around (not perfect) has been to use the checklist function on the GRT EFIS and instead of developing a checklist, developing a data collection page. So now I load the following and obtain somewhat of a flight test page. If I only had the capability display data on more than 60% of the screen, change the font to smaller characters, and be able to ?snap? a picture we would be golden.
LIST AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA
ITEM HOURMETER - %21%................I see Hour- 1234
ITEM FLIGHT TIME - %23%................I see FLIGHT TIME-1.2
ITEM OAT - %46%............................I see OAT-52C
ITEM INDICATED AIRSPEED - %47%...I see INDICATED AIRSPEED-120 kts
ITEM TRUE AIRSPEED - %48%...........I see TRUE AIRSPEED-125 kts
ITEM GROUNDSPEED - %73%............I see GROUNDSPEED-130 kts
ITEM WIND SPEED - %74%...............etc.
Would anyone else be interested in something like that? If so, I can call GRT again and see if we can work on that possibility. They told me no one has expressed that need. And no one has used the checklist page in the manner that I am currently using it. I guess necessity is the mother of invention.
