ATA Engineering’s FlashCal system featured in the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Almanac
SAN DIEGO, Calif., Jul. 3, 2012 – ATA’s successful testing of the FlashCal™ system has been featured in the FRCSW Almanac, the in-house magazine of the Fleet Readiness Center Southwest at Naval Air Station, North Island.
The FlashCal system is a piece of hardware developed by ATA engineers for the calibration of aircraft strain sensors. The innovative calibration system drew attention through its potential to increase efficiency in maintenance planning, which is at the heart of the FRCSW mission of providing repair and routine maintenance for the US Navy’s aircraft fleet.
Currently, aircraft strain sensors are meant to tell crews when critical components are in need of repair, but small differences in sensor installation between aircraft can create discrepancies in sensor output. This means maintenance crews must read the sensor output conservatively, sometimes performing costly repairs when they may not be needed. FlashCal represents an important step forward, giving crews the ability to keep close track of the fatigue life expectancy of individual aircraft for cost savings and reduced risk.
The prototype was tested with the F/A-18s that form the backbone of the US Navy’s aircraft fleet, but ATA is currently investigating expansion of the system to the Joint Strike Fighter and other aircraft. Click here to read the full article.
