Aviation Safety Research on Developing Mission Task Elements, Means of Compliance/Methods of Compliance, for Certification of General Aviation, VTOL, VSTOL, or Hybrid Aircraft

Lotterio, Marco; Pingitore, Andrea; Di Francesco, Gabriele · 2023 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. William J. Hughes Technical Center

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Summary

This report, produced by the National Test Pilot School and Systems Technology Inc. for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), addresses the certification challenges associated with emerging General Aviation (GA), Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL), and hybrid aircraft. The research is motivated by the rapid development of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Regional Air Mobility (RAM) vehicles, which increasingly utilize Fly-By-Wire (FBW) systems and electric propulsion. Because these advanced configurations require dedicated regulatory processes, the study focuses on defining specific verification, validation, and qualification phases for certification. It builds upon previous NTPS research by detailing the execution and analysis of Mission Task Elements (MTEs), specifically Flying Qualities Task Elements (FQTEs) for quantitative verification and Handling Qualities Task Elements (HQTEs) for qualitative pilot evaluation. The methodology involved a multidisciplinary team of experimental test pilots and flight test engineers who synthesized existing technical knowledge with industrial and military testing experience. The research was structured into three phases: expanding the technical content of FQTEs and HQTEs, defining their scope and analysis boundaries, and recommending specific elements for flight quality evaluations. The authors detailed principal components for defining these tasks, including aircraft class, mission requirements, and handling specifications. They provided comprehensive descriptions of flight test techniques, such as frequency sweeps, doublets, pulse input combinations, and finite step inputs. The report also outlined required data acquisition standards, including sampling rates and instrumentation, and described analysis processes for deriving dynamic modal parameters from flight data. Key findings include standardized definitions for FQTEs and HQTEs tailored to VTOL, powered-lift, and rotorcraft configurations. The report establishes specific boundaries for flying qualities criteria, referencing 14 CFR airworthiness requirements, MIL-STD-1797B, and ADS-33E-PRF standards. It provides detailed guidance on data analysis, including the identification of aircraft bandwidth, phase delay, and signal-to-noise ratios. The study emphasizes the importance of correlating quantitative FQTE data with qualitative HQTE pilot ratings to ensure consistent handling qualities assessment. It also identifies limitations in current techniques, noting the need for further simulator-based validation to refine the proposed certification processes. The significance of this work lies in its provision of a structured framework for the FAA to certify next-generation aircraft with complex flight control systems. By standardizing the verification and validation phases, the research aims to reduce the risk of costly redesigns during development. The report recommends performing offline assessments in manned simulations prior to first flight, followed by in-flight verification. It concludes by suggesting follow-on research to develop high-fidelity UAM simulators, which would allow the FAA to validate and potentially incorporate these recommended processes into formal certification policies for UAM vehicles.

Key finding

The research provides a standardized framework for defining and executing Flying Qualities and Handling Qualities Task Elements to support the certification of advanced fly-by-wire aircraft.

Methodology

theoretical

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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