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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 1277.PDF
712 FLIGHT International, 30 April / 964 The Test Pilot's Role A. W. BEDFORD GIVES INAUGURAL LECTURE TO NEW RAeS GROUP BRIEFLY noted in our news pages last week were the aims ofthe new Test Pilots' Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society. We were not able on that occasion to make allusion to the Group's inaugural lecture (uncommonly well attended, it is pleasing to note), but we now present excerpts illustrative of its scope, sagacity and humour. The lecturer was Mr A. W. Bedford, chief test pilot (Dunsfold), Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd, Hawker Blackburn Division, and early in his remarks he said:— "It is the intention to commence the Group's activities on modest lines, with four lectures only for 1964-65, these taking place here in London with possible repeat lectures at some of the branches. On a longer-term basis the committee will endeavour to arrange lectures and discussions in areas in the country in which a particular subject is likely to stimulate most interest. "One of the first tasks of the Test Pilots' Group Committee was to detail its chairman in a firm but diplomatic manner to deliver this inaugural lecture, and hence the presence of your speaker tonight and his somewhat worried expression. A broad subject has been selected for this lecture, namely, The Role of the Test Pilot. "The origin of successful test flying was that famous 11 sec flight made by Orville Wright at Kittyhawk on December 17, 1903. On that day the Wright brothers made four nights, piloting alternately, the final flight by Wilbur lasting nearly a minute and covering 300yd. They approached their problems in a most scientific way. They studied previous experimental work. They designed and built a wind tunnel and carried out many experiments on wing sections. Incredibly they evolved a shape almost identical with the modern RAF 14. Here then was the closest possible integration of pilot, scientist, designer, inspector, stressman, aerodynamicist, chief flight development engineer and chief executive, all dove- tailed into a highly efficient two-man team. Surely this achievement can never be bettered. No complex machine here involving control zones, communications, MoA, defence policies, SP.970s, ARB and A&AEE, committees, pilot approvals, decompression tests, fire-fighting equipment and the like. Just courage and determination to get on with the job and fly, correct deficiencies and progress." The Full Task Later Mr Bedford said: "What is the pilot's task? Test pilots are employed in Service and civilian establishments and the scope of their flying activities covers the testing of production aircraft, the testing of aircraft inspected and modified at Maintenance Units, the testing of engines, systems and equipment, and finally the well- known research and development testing, including certification testing prior to release to the customer. The pure flying tasks of the pilot, although large in variety, are easy to define under such broad headings as performance, handling, systems and armament, testing and study of flight test schedules. SP.970, AGARD flight test manual, and so on, give the reader full details of what is involved and the standards that have to be met. The pilot's job in flight development remains essentially what it has always been, namely, to observe and report on the ability of the aircraft to meet specifi- cation and to search and eradicate unsafe features. Undoubtedly the actual job of test flying provides the most interesting side of the pilot's role, but it must be emphasized that it represents only a relatively small proportion of his responsibilities. Here the pilot uses his skill and experience to carry out a test programme, and when he lands three fundamental questions have to be answered. What did he do ? What happened ? What do we do now ? The answers to the first two questions are just plain statements of fact, to be backed up later by analysis of quantitative results. The reply to the third, however, often depends on the influence and authority the pilot commands within his own organization and the extent to which he has been consulted or has insisted on being consulted, in the embryo days of the project. These factors will vary from firm to firm and establishment to establishment and will be influenced by the effectiveness of the communication system from pilot to scientist, engineer or designer. "Communication is vital to the success of the job and certain items emerging from the test programme may require immediate action prior to a written report. The framing of reports and transmission of information will depend on individual organiz- ations but immediately after a flight an industrial firm will normally have a debriefing through the department of the chief flight development engineer and thence through to the departments of chief designer and chief engineer, as deemed appropriate for the particular flight. Certain recommendations made by the pilot may receive unanimous support whereas others may require considerable discussion before action is taken. Deciding what is wrong is easy. Deciding why is more difficult, and getting action quickly is the toughest part of the job and often involves a good deal more tenacity than the actual flying programme. "The pilot must set his sights high regarding the standard to be achieved, but on the other hand it is often necessary to accept some sort of compromise in order to get the aircraft into operational service within a reasonable time-scale. It is just as useless to have one or two perfect prototypes as it is to have hundreds of production aircraft coming into service on time but grossly deficient. Never was the saying "the best is always the enemy of the good" more appropriate than when dealing with the flight development and clearance of aircraft. No one likes burdening the aircraft and operational pilot with limitations, and therefore we like to see the very best in handling and performance qualities and the highest degree of operational effectiveness. "Unfortunately, this is not always compatible with the right delivery date, and the pilot, be he Service or civilian, may have to be a little cruel to be kind—and realistic. He must use his judgment and experience to view the whole project in depth and weigh up all the factors of safety, effectiveness and in-service date, and as a result he may have to agree to accept some relaxation in standard. Failure to do this may hazard the future of the project and severely affect its sales potential elsewhere. Too often one hears it said, especially when dealing with military aircraft, that such and such a feature may be all right for the test pilot but is unacceptable for Service use. Don't ever underestimate the squadron pilot; he is in the majority a man of very high calibre and ability and a most adaptable individual. He soon learns to fly his aircraft to the limit and in a number of specialized areas he can show the test pilot a thing or two. Including the Pilot "Well—how can we strive for the highest standard, whether it concerns the testing of engines, equipment or research and develop- ment projects? One of the most important aspects is that the fundamental thinking and discussion must include the pilot at an early stage and for this reason we must ensure that a happy and close relationship exists between the pilot, scientist and engineer and that each understands some of the others' problems. Within some organizations such a relationship already exists and is evidenced in civilian firms—for example, by the pilot and flight development team being closely linked where necessary with the design, stress and installations departments and calling for specialist advice as the programme requires. By such means not only is the size of the flight development team kept to sensible proportions but the various specialist departments are kept in touch with current flight development difficulties and get a good feeling for the problems of practical aviation, and can therefore ensure that future designs benefit from this experience. "It is of particular interest that the late John Derry touched on this need for mutual understanding in his lecture on high-speed flight to the Society in 1951. He said, 'The author considers it essential to have an overlapping in the spheres of knowledge of pilot and scientist. This may indicate agreement with rece?! suggestions that fully trained aerodynamicists or engineers should be converted to test pilots, but this appears to be the wrong way to do it. A considerable amount of theory should be understood by the pilot and he should be trained in it. That is precisely what the Empire Test Pilots' School course is doing and doing extremely well. After such a training it is up to the pilot to maintain an up-to- date knowledge of all theory that concerns his work: the specialist problems of higher mathematics and engineering are not required by the pilot. He and the scientist must speak the same language but not the same dialect.' "It is interesting," said Mr Bedford, "that these words are as pertinent today as in 1951."
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