Installing new equipment

The FAAM aircraft is a highly customisable platform that has remained at the forefront of atmospheric research for over 20 years through a series of modifications, introducing new scientific instrumentation and infrastructure in order to stay at the cutting edge. Users can propose new scientific instruments and infrastructure for their own projects using funding from grants or other external sources. The certification and installation process can be technically involved so please contact faam-technical@ncas.ac.uk at the earliest opportunity to discuss.

Within the cabin of the aircraft, instrumentation can be installed in double-wide, 20U (88.9 cm) high, 19’’ racks with a capacity of ~200kg of equipment. Each wing has a pylon with four standard cloud microphysics ‘PMS’ canisters. Each canister can house a variety of in-situ instrumentation with power and data connections back inside the cabin. The aircraft is also modified with numerous ‘hardpoints’ (strengthened areas of the skin) and apertures (openings or window mounts) into/onto which all manner of inlets, cameras, LiDAR etc. can be fitted. Finally, the aircraft is fitted with a large aerodynamic fairing (known as the large radiation blister) with accommodation for up to three large remote sensing instruments with upward and downward views.

The process for installing new equipment is broadly the same for instruments and infrastructure, be it an in-cabin bench-top instrument, external inlet, wing mounted probe etc.

Any new installation must undergo what is known as ‘initial airworthines’ before being introduced to the FAAM aircraft. This is a regulatory requirement for all aircraft which are being modified in some way. This is to ensure the safety and compliance of installations onto the FAAM aircraft which operates in the commercial transport (aka passenger) category.

Airworthiness requirements are detailed in the Joint Aviation Requirements for Large Aircraft (JAR-25), equivalent to EASA Certification Specifications (CS-25) which define the structural, electrical and mechanical requirements for aircraft parts. Additionally, testing/satisfying the protocols set out in RTCA DO-160 Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment, equivalent to EUROCAE ED-14G may apply, particularly with respect to external installations.

Initial airworthiness of modifications is performed on behalf of FAAM by organisations with the relevant UK CAA Part 21 Subpart J Design Organisation Approval and BCAR A8-21 approvals as laid out in CAP 553 BCAR Section A.

Underwing scientific instrumentation housed in PMS canisters.

FAAM can advise on meeting the build and certification standards needed in order to install a piece of scientific equipment. FAAM can also recommend specific training to builders, maintainers and installers of equipment aboard the FAAM aircraft. These include:

Foreign Object Debris (FOD) awareness
Electrical wiring interconnection systems
Human factors in aviation

For further information/enquiries contact faam-technical@ncas.ac.uk