FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium Flight Safety Foundation

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium Flight Safety Foundation – Functional Check Flight Symposium Technical Flights - The AIRBUS view Presented by Captain Harry NELSON / Experimental Test Pilot Captain Jean-Michel ROY / Test Pilot February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium Why the concern with Technical Flights? • Recent incidents and accidents • We think we may be only seeing the tip of the iceberg • Our experience with Customer Acceptance Flights • Queries and questions from Customer Airlines Page 2 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium What we will cover today 1. A common sense view on Check flights • • 2. Planning and preparation Execution Crewing • • • Composition Selection Training 3. Technical Flight Familiarisation Course 4. Some thoughts on the way forward Page 3 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 1 Planning and Preparation Some practical things to think about Aircraft Airfield ATC and Airspace Weather Checklists Check Schedules Page 4

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules Options include a. A detailed check schedule for each type of check b. A master check schedule with deletes c. We offer an “In Service Aircraft Test Manual” (ISATM ) • Associate warnings and limits with check to be done • Hard limits need clear DO NOT EXCEED warnings • Avoid writing a check sequence over two pages • Make them easy to handle. Not too big or detailed Page 5 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules 4 Production 4 Customer 4 In Page 6 Aircraft Test Manual (PATM) Acceptance Manual (CAM) Service Aircraft Test Manual (ISATM )

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules 4 Production Page 7 Aircraft Test Manual (PATM) • Tests on new serial a/c after production • The purpose of the PATM is to demonstrate that the aircraft: * conforms with the type and individual certificate to a Certificate of Airworthiness Standard * meets its specifications, * meets the standards of quality required for delivery • Under EASA Airbus Production Organisation Approval (POA) , accepted as such by the FAA and most other authorities.

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules • Customer Acceptance Manual (CAM) • The CAM is the compilation of check procedures agreed between Airbus and a Customer as part of the customer technical acceptance of a new aircraft. It is used to demonstrate technical compliance with a contract • It covers both ground and flight checks but unlike the PATM it can be carried out in any order i. e. Flight before Ground Checks. • It should not be used as an airworthiness demonstration There is no control over the weather • Mixing the objective of the flight can create safety issue • There is a mixed background crew • Page 8

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium 1 Planning and Preparation – Check Schedules • In Service Aircraft Test Manual (ISATM) • • • Page 9 The ISATM is a manual containing the procedures for ground and flight tests to be performed by Airbus personnel on an in service aircraft (ex: after a working party or for an aircraft transfer between Airbus and another party) It must be performed in a specified order It is offered to Customers who request help, prior to a check flight, under letter of waiver as a PDF file, the intention being that they create their own check schedule from it, duly considering all the “local” issues. February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 1 Execution There are many elements to master in a check sortie. Briefing Pre take off Take-off Switching Communication Workload Different flight plans The day/night question Cabin systems More difficult check points Page 10

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 1 Execution – More difficult check points • Identify which check points carry more risk • Pre flight, plan how to fly them and then stick to your plan • Decide and brief “break off” points • If things don’t look right they are probably wrong – so stop • Take care with breaks in the sequence • Don’t be tempted to “take a look” at certification test points Page 11

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium 1 Execution – More difficult check points …. . Remember the old ZEN wisdom of “Never test the depth of the water with both feet at the same time” Be failure minded and always consider your escape plan …. . Which also leads us nicely to the other Zen wisdom of “If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you” Page 12 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium 2 Crewing - Composition • A small technical crew group • Leadership • Crew composition: • • Technical Flight Engineer Cabin specialists Have a strict no passengers policy Page 13 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 2 Crewing – Selection KNOWLEDGE Aircraft SKILLS Observation Interpretation Analysis Communication Use of ALL senses Airmanship and Teamwork Motor skills Theory Role You can never have too much knowledge You should never stop learning You will never know it all APTITUDE Approach Attitude Logical Flexible Consistent Creative Persistent Variable Asking Telling Learning Knowing Under confidence Right Over Confidence Manage these paradoxes To achieve the right balance INTEGRITY Page 14 EXPERIENCE Better risk evaluation Better Prioritisation of task Less errors “I’ve been here before ” “it doesn’t feel right” “a good nose” ‘a healthy fear” Take care 10 = 10 or 1¹º

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 2 Selection – Summary Egotistical X Questionable integrity X Indecisive X Uninterested technically X Takes criticism badly X Avoids responsibility X Impatient X Inflexible X Risk prone X Loner X Good Communicator Technically inquisitive Determined to get answers Good flying ability Admits errors and learns Takes responsibility Patient Makes balanced judgments “Defaults” towards Safety Team player Take time on people selection. It is the key to achieving real safety in the checking process. Page 15 February 2011 FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 2 Crewing - Training 1. If you have good test trained personnel, use them in the technical checking role 2. If you have experienced check or acceptance flight crew, review their real experience and currency in the task. Many are very good. 3. If you have neither, then you should train people or obtain the services of trained people There are several short introductory courses available on the market, including the Airbus course called : “Technical Flight Familiarization (TFF) Course” Page 16

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 Purpose of the TFF course Safety Quality Efficiency ØProvide crew members with information on Knowledge, Skills and Attitude to better contribute to : • Technical flights (post maintenance, painting, etc. ) • Acceptance flights (deliveries) Ø Familiarization course: ØAttestation not a Rating Page 17

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium TFF course: A bridge between Aviators Page 18 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium TFF course: The instructors • An experienced team: • A Test Pilot, and • A Flight Test Engineer • Used to work/fly together • Experienced: • Development flight tests • Production flight tests • Customer flights Page 19 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 TFF course: The trainees • Technical Flight Crew is a crew of 3: • 2 Pilots • Prerequisites: rated and current on Aircraft type with at least 6 month experience 1 Technical Flight Engineer (TFE) Prerequisites: q A third pilot, or q A Flight Engineer who has followed a familiarization course on the type, or q A Maintenance Engineer who has successfully followed the applicable maintenance type rating course as per Part 147 or equivalent, or q A Flight Operations Engineer who has followed a familiarization course on the type Page 20

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 TFF course: The Syllabus DAY 1 2 3 4 5 PHASE GROUND SCHOOL FFS FLIGHT Phase 1 Page 21 Phase 2 Phase 3

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 TFF course: Ground school DAY 1 2 3 4 5 PHASE GROUND SCHOOL FFS FLIGHT • Generic modules • • Page 22 Crew concept Weather ATC Technical Flight Order Pre-flight briefing Recording of in-flight results Post Flight Analysis

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 TFF course: Ground school DAY 1 2 3 4 5 PHASE GROUND SCHOOL FFS FLIGHT • Aircraft specific modules (from ISATM) • Ground checks • Taxi checks • In-flight checks: • Flight controls • AFS • Systems (Pressurization. . ) • High Speed • Low Speed Page 23

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 TFF course: Ground school DAY 1 2 3 4 5 PHASE GROUND SCHOOL FFS FLIGHT • Training Documentation: • ISATM • Course module hand-out Page 24

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 TFF course: FFS DAY 1 2 3 4 5 PHASE GROUND SCHOOL FFS FLIGHT • FFS is a great training device BUT: • Limited to reproduce flight acceleration • => Motion ON or OFF according to checks Some “maintenance” functions not simulated (AIDS. . ) • FFS 1 (4 h): Normal system operation • Instructor pilot in RH seat (demo => practice) • FFS 2 (4 h): Some system malfunctions • Both trainee pilot in pilot seat (PF then PNF) Page 25

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 TFF course: Flight DAY 1 2 3 4 5 PHASE GROUND SCHOOL FFS FLIGHT 2 hours per pilot (*2) Instructor pilot in RH seat Normal system operation Use of AIDS Page 26

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 TFF course: Locations DAY 1 2 3 4 5 PHASE GROUND SCHOOL FFS FLIGHT • At Airbus Training centers (Toulouse, Miami, Beijing, . . . ) • At Customer Training center DAY 1 2 3 4 5 PHASE GROUND SCHOOL FFS FLIGHT On customer aircraft at customer base On Airbus development aircraft Page 27

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium TFF course: Experience & Customer feedback • First course in Sept 09 on A 320 • 6 airlines/27 crew members already trained • In TLS and at customer base • Very positive feedback (videos) Page 28 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium TFF course: Looking forward • Course available now on all Airbus FBW aircraft • Delivered on a monthly basis typically 2 crews (of 3) per session Page 29 February 2011

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 4 Possible ways to go forward • Fully evaluate, discuss and recognize the issue • Need for care with the solution i. e Pros & cons of regulation OPTIONS • Do nothing (a no change decision) • Publicize the issue across the industry • Regulate - If so at what level? Page 30

FSF Functional Check Flight Symposium February 2011 4 Possible ways to go forward Some things to be discussed 1. Responsibilities of Authorities, Manufacturers, Airlines, and individual Qualified Checkers 2. Qualification of Check flight courses and instructors 3. Would any qualification be type specific or generic, or can the course have both generic and specific elements? 4. If so, what will be the validity of each? 5. Would any qualification be “tied” to an airline or location 6. How many checkers to qualify per fleet size? 7. Check flight currency – Guidance or rules 8. Check crew composition (position and qualification) 9. Liability Page 31