Subscale Aircraft Laboratory Takes Concepts to Flight

Giant leaps can’t be made without small steps. When it comes to flight, that path can be clearer by first testing a new instrument, airframe, or a concept with subscale prototypes in the ultimate research lab – the sky. That’s what the Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, does. It takes researcher’s ideas and finds a way to integrate them on subscale aircraft the lab operates, or finds a way to design, fabricate, and fly a new aircraft shape to collect data to enhance computer models. This can increase the readiness of a new instrument, airframe, or concept and increase confidence for decision makers to advance it. Testing with subscale aircraft streamlines time and cost and allows riskier concepts to fly compared to their full-scale counterparts. When the subscale laboratory team suggests building a subscale aircraft, they have capabilities for manufacturing, which include a laser cutter, water jets, and full composite material fabrication. They also follow the well-established processes and procedures refined over seven decades for test pilots of full-scale aircraft. Subscale prototypes also permit learning why something doesn’t work on the first attempt and to be able to pivot and try again with no risk to personnel.