Airborne Radar Approach Flight Test Evaluating Various Track Orientation Techniques.

This comprehensive report presents the results of a flight test experiment of an Airborne Radar Approach ARA System utilizing various track orientation techniques and operational modes. The tests were performed in the immediate area of NAFEC in Atlantic City, N.J. The test environment involved the airport terminal area and offshore sites. The test aircraft was a NASA CH53A helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft and currently based at NAFEC. The test period was from January 1979 to February 1979 and from June 1979 to August 1979. Flight tests for ARA accuracy and procedures development were performed in six distinct operational modes. These were as follows beacon wcursor, multiple beacon, skin paint, skin paint wcursor, combined and beacon-only modes. The specific program objectives can be summarized as follows 1 to evaluate the ability of the radar operator to guide an aircraft along a predetermined path using various track orientation techniques, namely the cursor and multiple beacon techniques 2 to assist the FAA in developing and certifying standard ARA procedures and weather minimums 3 to define and quantify specific ARA system functions and characteristics for use in a Minimum Operational Performance Standards MOPS document.