Challenges and opportunities offered by flight certification of rotorcraft by simulation

Abstract

Newly developed aircraft must obtain a type certificate from the responsible aviation regulatory authority. This certificate testifies that the type of aircraft meets the safety requirements set by the authority. The compliance demonstration itself is the lengthiest and most expensive part of the certification process. The driving factor for the cost and duration of the compliance demonstration is the amount of ground and flight testing required. Moreover, certain certification flight test activities, particularly those involving demonstrations of control system or engine failures, can be classified as high-risk in terms of flight safety. The ROtorcraft Certification by Simulation (RoCS) project aims to explore the possibilities, limitations, and guidelines for best practices for the application of flight simulation to demonstrate compliance to the airworthiness regulations related to helicopters and tiltrotors. The paper presents the main objectives of the project and then introduces to some of the approaches that will be employed to achieve these goals.