Flight Test

No one has more experience in conducting flight test and evaluation of advanced aircraft systems than SAI. Our test pilots and flight test engineers are true professionals in every sense. They have flown, operated, and tested some of the most advanced and technically complex airborne systems ever developed. Quite often, the PM will be the test pilot or flight test engineer who actually flies with the system and collects the data. These professionals are experts at planning and executing successful flight test programs to bring back the data that answers the critical questions. The experience gained during its thirteen years of operation has allowed SAI to develop a well defined test process based on sound engineering and safety principles. In its simplest form, this process could be defined as "Plan the Test; Fly the Plan". However, it is a complex process based on the following critical steps:

• Determine the critical questions which the test must answer
• Determine the data required to answer the questions
• Determine the instrumentation & A/C required to collect the data
• Develop the test objectives and detailed test plan
• Conduct pretest technical and safety analysis of the test plan
• Arrange for test aircraft, instrumentation, materials, etc.
• Integrate the system
• Execute the test plan
• Process the data
• Analyze the data
• Answer the critical questions
• Document the test results & any lessons learned