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Research Aircraft Integration Facility Capabilities
Armstrong’s Research Aircraft Integration Facility (RAIF) and simulation capabilities provide research teams with the means to conduct efficient, thorough testing of advanced, highly integrated research vehicles, and provide configurable systems for all facets of a research program including simulation software and hardware, as well as direct vehicle support infrastructure.
These scalable systems can provide evaluation of design concepts, pilot, vehicle- and hardware-in-the-loop operations, combined systems testing, system integration and full mission support through control-room training, mission planning and data analysis.
Simulation Software Capabilities
The RAIF provides a flexible software package to support a project from conceptual design through flight. This scalable simulation software can provide system integration and evaluation of design concepts; pilot, vehicle- and hardware-in-the-loop operations; combined systems testing and full mission support through control-room training, mission planning and data analysis.
- High fidelity, 6 Degrees of Freedom (DOF) simulation packages
- Same software simulation package supports both real-time (human-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop) and non-real-time (desktop) operations
- Common, configurable software supporting multiple projects
- Multiple operating system platforms (Solaris, Linux)
- Multiple language support (FORTRAN,C, C++, Java, Ada)
- Multi-view out-the-window graphics with heads-up display (HUD) and 3-D model of flight vehicle
- Operable by one person in non-real-time and real-time environments
The RAIF provides a flexible hardware package to support a project from conceptual design through flight. This scalable simulation hardware can provide system integration and evaluation of design concepts; pilot, vehicle- and hardware-in-the-loop operations; combined systems testing and full mission support through control-room training, mission planning and data analysis.
Simulation Hardware Capabilities
Simulation Hardware capabilities include:
- Dedicated or configurable fix-base engineering simulation cockpits
- Configurable hardware interface units for vehicle-systems integration testing.
- Common configurable hardware to support multiple projects
- Configurable, simulation electric stick (SES) and rudder pedal systems
- Configurable Cockpit Interface Unit (CIU)
- Flight Hardware interface capability (Mil-STD-1553, ARINC 429, analog and discrete signals)
RAIF Facility Capabilities
Armstrong’s Research Aircraft Integration Facility (RAIF) provides all aspects of flight research support infrastructure. The facility can simultaneously support programs utilizing varied vehicle configurations and requiring varied security levels.
Vehicle support capabilities include:
- Six vehicle test bays
- Test Bays 1, 2 and 3 provide over 30,000 square feet of vehicle hangar space. The 225 x 135-foot hangar, accessible through a split 225 x 50-foot door, can be configured to support multiple vehicles or a single large vehicle.
- Test Bays 4 and 5 provide a total of 12,500 square feet of hangar space that can also be configured to support multiple- or single-vehicle operations.
- Test Bay 6 is a single-vehicle bay with approximately 1,000 square feet of hangar space and can be configured to support programs with more stringent security requirements.
- Test bay data and communication connectivity to RAIF simulation labs and Dryden control rooms
- Co-located vehicle maintenance support staffing
- Co-located program and vehicle engineering and technician staff
- Complete vehicle support systems (aircraft cooling, electrical power, hydraulics)
- ESD-certified support labs
Project support capabilities include:
- 20,000 Sq. Ft . office space
- UPS and generator supported electrical systems
- 11 configurable simulation labs
- External and Lab-specific internal networking systems
- Lab data and communication connectivity to Dryden control rooms
Research Aircraft Integration Facility Fact Sheet
Flight Demonstrations and Capabilities Project
