Flight testing of a light sport airplane, the ACS-100 SORA, using a low-cost flight test instrumentation system – an approach for system performances and stability

Dimas A. Dutra, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Abstract

The ACS-100 SORA is a recently created all composite sport aircraft powered by a 120 hp engine with a maximum takeoff weight of 600kg. In a partnership between the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, and ACS-Aviation, a flight test campaign was conducted to determine the performance of the aircraft.

An important aspect of this campaign is the fact that this aircraft is a light aircraft, with limited space and limited payload, making necessary to have a small flight test instrumentation system. To overcome this challenge a FTI system, developed at UFMG, was used based on microcontrollers and PDA systems. This FTI system allows the acquisition of 32 analogue sensors and GPS information. Among the analogue sensors there is an inertial measurement unit and a calibrated Pitot probe with vanes for attack and sideslip angles.

For the performance estimation a series of well-known tests were performed. Among them we must cite: the Pitot-Static error, Stall speed, PIW-VIW, PIW-CIW, Saw tooth climb, Level acceleration, Pull up, Push over and Steady turn.

This document presents the most relevant results according to the 20 hours of recorded flight data based on the sensors installed in the aircraft. These results present the feasibility to use this type of FTI system in the development of light sport aircraft and how this data can help in the development and certification of the aircraft.