Comparing Specific Excess Power of Five General Aviation Aircraft

Florida Institute of Technology partnered with the FAA Small Aircraft Directorate to conduct flight tests characterizing the specific excess power of five general aviation aircraft. The objective of this flight campaign was to compare and contrast performance characteristics among representative single-engine general aviation aircraft. The data produced in the campaign contributes to an effort to create a regulatory environment that uses advances in technology to enhance general aviation safety, while reducing the effort, time and cost associated with the certification of new equipment. Loss of control continues to plague general aviation. Predictive displays and warning systems informing pilots about the aircraft's current energy state, the amount of excess power available, and the control inputs needed to transition to a “healthy” energy state have the potential to reduce the chance for loss of control. This paper contributes data on the amount of excess power available. Examining the data for five aircraft will offer developers of prediction algorithms and warning systems common features to consider for their code logic. Lessons learned in the execution of this flight test program, as well as suggestions for future research, are provided.