53
testing talk
flight hours achieved
by the program
225
operating hours
1200
test points run in the
V-280 program so far
320mph
Cruising speed
of the V-280
AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.COM // JUNE
its last key performance parameters (KPPs). We’ve hit our
targets in terms of speed, range, hover payload
performance, and agility. Achieving those KPPs after six
years of effort is a great accomplishment by the team.
HOW FAR DO YOU PUSH THE LIMITS OF THE
AIRCRAFT DURING FLIGHT TESTING?
It’s not just about hitting the KPPs, we seek to expand the
envelope to best reduce risk and inform readiness for
FVL. We want to see what the aircraft is capable of in
terms of performance, such as what the speed is at
maximum continuous power, or for agility, what is the
maximum rate the aircraft can generate. In parallel, we
seek to expand the flight envelope by testing at various
gross weights and at various pylon angles at different
speeds. We are evaluating loads, dynamic characteristics
and vibration. We are conducting climbs, descents and
banked turns to fully assess the aircraft.
WHAT ASPECT OF THE V PROGRAM HAS BEEN
THE MOST CHALLENGING?
We test to ensure that the aircraft performs as expected
to validate our engineering models and analysis and
verify that we have robustly designed the aircraft
and its systems for the flight environment. Any test
program will identify things that don’t behave
as expected.
The V-280 test program has been fairly smooth. Over
the last 18 months of testing the aircraft has operated
110
every month and achieved program milestones. There
haven’t been a lot of surprises along the way. We will go
back and tune models based on the results we find, but
on the whole there haven’t been any significant issues.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW THE GROUND TESTING
PROGRAM WAS RUN?
Overall our test program aims to validate the design
requirements and to take an appropriate approach to
ensure our design meets those requirements from a
performance and safety standpoint.
That process starts at the component level, when we
do product qualification testing on parts like rotors,
gearboxes and actuators and involves fatigue testing,
vibration testing and endurance testing. We make sure
the components can handle the loads in the environment
we expect the aircraft to be operating in.
This builds up to system level testing, when we look
at systems like our integrated drive system, ensuring that
through a range of power and operating conditions it
has the performance and robustness to operate safely
and as expected.
For other electronics and software-intensive systems
such as avionics and flight controls, we use our systems
integration labs to test the hardware, software and
electrical interfaces, complete with flight control
actuators and hydraulic systems. We build-up the entire
aircraft in the lab with the exception of the airframe and
dynamic systems.
PAUL WILSON CV
Paul Wilson is chief engineer
for the Bell V-280 program and
leads the engineering team
working on the V-280 Joint
Multi-Role Tech Demonstration
and Future Vertical Lift
Programs. Prior to his current
role, Paul led the V-280 Vehicle
Systems Integrated Product
Team (IPT) since 2014 in the
development and testing
of flight control, avionics,
propulsion, and mechanical
systems culminating in the
V-280’s successful first flight
in 2017.
During his time at Bell, Wilson
has served as project manager
for the 407GX autopilot
development and certification
program and as the IPT
Lead for Bell’s Vehicle
Management Systems and
Integrated Vehicle Health
Management (IVHM)
Technology Independent
Research and Development.
Prior to joining Bell, he served
in the US Air Force as an
acquisitions and aerospace
engineering officer. He
earned a Bachelor of Science
in Mechanical Engineering
from the University of Texas
at San Antonio and a Master
of Science in Aeronautical
Engineering from the Air Force
Institute of Technology
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