SAI's Technical Approach

SAI's technical approach is based on sound engineering principles, safety and discipline that come from our many years of aviation and flight test experience. A project manager (PM) is assigned who serves as the customer's key focal point for all programmatic issues. The PM assignment is based on the particular technologies and requirements involved.

SAI's first step involves technical discussions with the customer to gain a complete understanding of what the customer wants to achieve. SAI provides the experience and the engineering "know how" necessary to help the customer derive system test requirements and test objectives that will answer the critical questions. The PM coordinates with the customer to learn everything possible about what information is desired from the test, and how the test results will be analyzed and used. SAI's experience has shown that when we fully understand the intention of how the test results will be used, we can better serve the customer by ensuring that meaningful data are collected that will answer the critical questions. SAI then examines ways to achieve the customer's requirements in the most timely and cost effective manner. At SAI, we fully understand that minimal aircraft/system modification keeps program costs down and reduces integration time. SAI will make every possible effort to use existing aircraft/system features through innovative engineering rather that performing major modifications. However, should major modifications be necessary, SAI will inform the customer early on, providing a complete cost and schedule break down to accomplish the work.

Aircraft selection is a critical step in the flight test process. Success or failure of an entire program may be strongly influenced by this selection. Engineering analyses are accomplished to ensure the aircraft will accept the customers developmental system. SAI gives careful consideration to payload weight capability, electrical capacity, and environmental capacity. Candidate aircraft are evaluated for these and other characteristics such as speed, range, flying qualities, etc., and a "best value" aircraft is recommended to the customer. SAI knows that choosing the right aircraft for the mission is critical to a successful outcome.

Aircraft modification and system integration are the next step. Our modification department has all the facilities, support equipment, fabrication, assembly, and repair shops required to make Class II and FAA complete or supplemental type certificate modifications. No one has more experience than SAI at modifying and operating aircraft in the restricted, experimental and public use categories. SAI's in-place, established procedures for obtaining FAA and government approvals of aircraft modifications will dramatically reduce flight release times without sacrificing safety or performance.

SAI has a wealth of experience integrating various types of advanced systems and mission payloads onboard test aircraft. SAI considers several factors when placing payloads and test equipment on an aircraft. Weight and balance have a strong influence on placement, but systems performance, crew safety, and equipment accessibility are all considered early on in the systems integration process to ensure the best possible integration to fulfill the mission.

Once the integration design has been accomplished, SAI installs and integrates contractor or government furnished payloads and test equipment aboard test aircraft. The aircraft interior is prepared to accept equipment racks and modified power systems as required. Auxiliary systems are added as necessary.

Once all aircraft modifications and systems integration's are complete, SAI conducts a systematic checkout of all equipment. First, all modifications to aircraft power and environmental systems are thoroughly tested prior to operating any contractor or government furnished equipment. Next, the test equipment and payload are checked individually and then as a complete system. Additional checks include electro-magnetic interference and electro-magnetic compatibility tests.

Any discrepancies are corrected and retested.

SAI conducts initial airworthiness flight's to ensure the aircraft and systems function properly within the required flight envelope. Accuracy and reliability of systems and instrumentation are verified. The mission payload or "system under test" is exercised to determine if it operates properly.