'Innovation is as Innovation Does'Boeing 727-212 Excessive Rate of Descent Ground Impact Test

摘要

The purpose of this test was: to replicate a representative aircraft landing mishap, to provide a platform to realistically exercise scientific safety experiments and to capture the event with aerial filming for the purposes of post-crash analysis and exhibition on television. The test involved incorporation of limited remote control and safe ditch abort capability onto a conventional Boeing 727-212 aircraft to permit safety override of the onboard GPS autopilot guidance once the onboard aircrew egressed the aircraft when the ., aircraft was fully configured and on short final to a controlled impact with terrain. The aircraft was operated in an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) mode for airborne systems test, evaluation, and verification, and in the No Live Operator Onboard (NOLO) unmanned mode during the final approximately 5 minutes of flight. Off-board (remote) control was exercised from a chase aircraft including a separate flight termination system for safety purposes that, if actuated, would command full down elevator while maintaining the current throttle settings. Tertiary safety backup was provided by the geography of the selected test site and by maintaining the set aircraft configuration and descent condition ensuring impact within the cleared kinetic impact zone.