Introduction
Technology is rapidly increasing at a very fast pace in today’s world. Industries all around are taking full advantage of these new technologies to help develop their products. Iron Bird is an aircraft simulating testing system which helps in the development and study of new aircrafts. It is mostly used by governmental and private aeronautical engineering companies. The main purpose of an Iron bird is to test the flight control system of the potential aircraft which is being developed. The test controls are designed in a way to fully test the motion control system of the aircraft. This also helps to test the landing gears of an aircraft system.
History
This Iron Bird aircraft testing technology is very widely known and recognized for its use all around the world, as it gives very precise information for the engineers to work towards or to improve their designs. NASA, for instance, uses this simulating technology in all aspects of their studies when it comes to designing a new aircraft. This type of aircraft simulating system has been in use for a considerate number of years. Also in some places, this technology has been adapted in space museums for general visitors in model spaceships to give them a real feel of the atmosphere of a spaceship.
Features
The Iron Bird is structured in a way that when performing tests with this stimulating technology for the development of a new aircraft, the testing authorities are able to define any real time relationships between all sorts of inputs and output. This requires them to use accurate and measured values, applying the right mathematical functions. This simulating technology consists of a hydraulically powered computer controlled loading system. Companies all around the world offer this aircraft simulating system to find and replace the possible errors in their design of aircrafts. Most systems are of a multi-processor setting, which consist of three boards and perform calculations for a real-time simulation of hydraulic system, flight maneuvers, horizontal stabilizers, automatic landing, autopilot functions among other things. This all in result provides a very realistic experience for the aircraft design testers. This simulating technology has a proper cockpit like the actual airplanes. It has to be tested by skilled pilots who can then make the right assessment of the aircraft model designs. The whole system requires a large space for all research to take place.
Tips and comments
The Iron Bird air craft testing system is proven to be a huge help when it comes to designing secure aircrafts. Aeronautical organizations all around the world have made a good use of this technology. However, the use of this technology comes with a price. The aircraft testing is one of the main reasons why designing aircrafts is so expensive. Multiple visits to stimulating system are required by the designing companies to reach the exact perfect design of the aircraft. Not only that, but the availability of these aircraft testing systems is very low, since the testing systems are made by very few organizations due to their high production cost.