Advances in flight test for aerodynamic model identification

This paper describes the development of several new flight test techniques at the Flight Research Laboratory, in order to create a complete in-flight aerodynamic model identification capability to be demonstrated on-board the NRC Falcon 20 research aircraft. One of the new techniques involves a novel experimental wireless nose mask (patent pending) for air data sensing. Another technique is an in-flight process for the simultaneous calibration of pitot-static position error correction, angle of attack and angle of sideslip, using differential GPS and Kalman filter processing of the data. And a third technique, which also employs the first two, uses an on-board version of MMLE3 parameter estimation software, installed in a high-speed dual processor Compaq PC, to estimate aircraft stability and control derivatives during flight, immediately after completing a special flight test control input manoeuvre for a given test condition.