FORT WORTH, TEXAS - Show organizers of AeroTest America 2008 Expo & Forum, in cooperation with PCB Piezotronics and Professor Patrick Walter, Ph.D., representing Fort Worth’s Texas Christian University’s Engineering College, are offering a comprehensive four-hour Flight Test Instrumentation tutorial. The tutorial is facilitated by Dr. Walter, a measurement consultant and practioner, as part of the “Flight Test Week” show programming focus. The flight test tutorial will be held on Day One of the show, Tuesday, November 18, 2008, at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas, and will be open to all delegates of the co-located Society of Flight Test Engineers Annual International Symposium, as well as exhibitors and attendees of AeroTest America.

The half-day class will clearly illustrate the instrumentation challenges associated with acquiring physical measurements during flight test. Dynamic and electrical models for transducers will be discussed, as well as transducer mounting influences; cable associated errors; and necessary signal conditioning considerations. Data sampling guidance for resolution and rate will be provided, along with selection criteria for anti-aliasing filters. Once signals are recorded, unique processes will be described, to enable documentation of the measurement’s system noise floor, as well as adequacy of system frequency capabilities for recorded signals. This latter process is entitled "data validation", and is requisite for performing subsequent data accuracy analysis. Finally, a measurement system designer's checklist will be provided, as well as closing comments on the future of flight test instrumentation. This seminar will be conducted in an open classroom-style format, with a detailed overview of the types of instrumentation and related technologies utilized in this application environment.

The cost to attend this seminar is $100 per person, which includes seminar registration, lunch, and handout materials. For more information, visit the AeroTest America Web site.