Flight Test Safety Committee

The Flight Test Safety Committee (FTSC) was formed jointly in November 1994 by members of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), the Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). These and numerous additional organizations presently comprise the FTSC. The purpose of the FTSC is to initiate and sustain a flight test related safety organization intended to promote flight safety, reduce the risk of mishap, promote risk reduction management and continually improve the profession's communication and coordination.
About FTSC

Flight Test Safety Fact 20-08

Welcome back.  I needed the break and thank you all for your patience as FTSF took a month off in July.  The pace of life is starting to pick back up and accelerate as we head down hill on the back half of 2020.  

This month's feature weaves together three separate threads that include SETP's Dan "Animal" Javorsek, NASA's Advanced Air Mobility expert Starr Ginn, and a string of airplane crashes in the USAF.  You'll have to scrape off more than the topsoil to find the theme at the root of this column.  If you are the curious type or you are on that last summer vacation, it includes links to other stories and references you can really dig into for more information.  

Also reported this month...The Flight Test Safety Committee Board of Directors has big news--it says goodbye to one member and welcome to another.  

After reading this month's issue, we hope you remember to check out everything the flighttestsafety.org website has to offer, including news about the Flight Test Safety Database--it will be down for extended maintenance.

This month I am asking for specific feedback about the frequency of this newsletter.  Is once a month the right pace, or should we go to every other month? Send feedback about this question or anything that you uncover.


Sincerely,
Mark Jones Jr.

Editor

PS For added security and convenience you can always download the pdf here.

Flight Test Safety Database - Offline for Updates

 

The Flight Test Safety Database will be unavailable after Friday, 24 July 2020 until further notice for cyber security updates.  If you have a data need please contact Glenn Graham at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We apologize for this interruption in service and greatly appreciate your patience in this matter.

2020 MIT STAMP Workshop

Based on the interest of the Virtual Flight Test Safety Workshop this past May, the FTSC would like to bring awareness to the upcoming MIT STAMP Workshop.

CLICK HERE for more info and to Register for this free MIT Event!

Download the Full Detailed Schedule Here

The 2020 Virtual STAMP Workshop will be scheduled with a few sessions a day over the course of three weeks to avoid fatigue from all-day remote video sessions and to maximize the number of people around the world who can participate. Sessions will run from July 20, 2020 to Aug 7, 2020.

The first week will provide short tutorials to introduce STAMP, STPA, CAST, and related techniques. These tutorials are different than our STAMP/STPA/CAST training classes; the tutorials are only meant to introduce core concepts to help you follow the presentations over the next two weeks. The following two weeks involve presentations, panels, and poster sessions from organizations around the world who want to share their experiences with these techniques.

Flight Test Safety Fact 20-06

What are the chances that important things are happening so fast in our industry, and in so many places around the world, that you missed one of them?

One example is the VTOL Proposed Means of Compliance, a document EASA just published, which takes center stage in this edition.  I propose that reading the document, together with the probabilistic commentary in the article, is a great way to invest in your own professional development and the future of our profession.  One editor suggested that I was not direct enough in the article, but I’ll let you decide.  It also draws together threads from recent news stories that relate closely to the topics herein.

If you missed the virtual Flight Test Safety Workshop, you can now watch most of it online: http://flighttestsafety.org/2020-virtual-workshop.  There is also a trip report from Pete Donath in this month’s edition.  Special thanks to Pat Bearce who also responded to my request for feedback from the Workshop.

Finally, Chairman Tom Huff reflects on recent test safety efforts and major milestones, and he introduces a special guest for the Flight Test Safety podcast.  If you have a mobile phone, it couldn’t be easier to listen anytime and almost anywhere, and while you are there subscribe. 

Tell your friends and colleagues about the podcast, and help us Reach Everyone.  Send suggestions and feedback. We have the means to design a safer future for a novel mode of air transportation, and it starts with rigorous discussion about these ideas.

Sincerely,
Mark Jones Jr.

 

PS For added convenience and security, you can download the pdf here.