NRC technology used in international tests takes another step toward flight safety

- Darwin, Australia 

Multiparty international partners collaborate to gather total water concentration data for flight safety research

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) along with Science Engineering Associates (SEA) supported an international flight campaign in Darwin, Australia from January to March 2014 conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Federal Aviation Association (FAA). The test flight used the reduced size Isokinetic Probe (IKP), developed jointly by NRC and SEA, to gather total water concentration data. The IKP was a crucial component of the collection of leading-edge data in order to establish certification standards for high ice water content conditions.

IKP on SAFIRE Falcon 20

The aircraft used in the flight campaign was operated by SAFIRE (a French airborne environment research company) while many other groups from Europe, North America and Australia supplied expertise and additional probes.

"At NRC we are committed to enhancing aviation safety while enabling our industry partners to meet increasingly strict safety guidelines with timely and cost-effective solutions" said John R. McDougall, President of the National Research Council of Canada. "This collaboration, which leverages complementary qualities from each partner, is positive step forward in reducing aviation icing risks."

The IKP was designed for accurate measurements at high altitudes, high airspeeds and high ice water concentrations where regulatory and design data are needed. The data collected from these tests will be used by regulatory bodies to set regulations on tolerance of aircraft probes and engines to endure ice crystal ingestion and impact. The probe will also be used by OEMs to design and modify equipment to withstand the expected conditions. These applications will improve flight safety, and results from this flight campaign will contribute to a fundamental understanding of how ice crystal conditions form in the atmosphere.

For more information visit our Aerospace research and development expertise website.

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