Upgrading customer's ADTS unit for calibrating aircraft systems

Druck provides a high quality and robustly designed instrument

Customer Type: Supplier of mission critical aviation services

Industry: Aerospace

Application: Testing aircraft pitot static systems

Solution: Druck's ADTS 542F / ADTS 552F Air Data Test Sets

The Customer

Druck’s customer, based in Germany, are one of the largest flight-ambulance operators worldwide. Within their fleet, the customer offers business jets including the Bombardier Global Express, Bombardier Challenger 604 and Bombardier Learjet aircraft.

Customer’s challenge

Air Data Test Sets (ADTS), also referred to as Pitot Static testers, are used for testing and calibrating the airspeed and altitude indicators on the aircraft pitot-static systems (known as air data systems). In the Aviation industry, testing is required whenever on-board instruments are manufactured, repaired, calibrated or integrated into the aircraft.

Pitot static testing is performed by connecting the ADTS to the aircraft using a combination of hoses and a bespoke set of connectors which are manufactured by specialist companies. Within their fleet, the customer operates a substantial number of small jets and helicopters, which are more compact in size than commercial airframes. In most cases, smaller jets and helicopters have a piston-powered engine which prevents these smaller aircraft from reaching the same altitudes as commercial aircraft. Therefore, a smaller, lightweight ADTS providing ultra-low speed and altitude readings was essential.

For many years the customer had been using Druck’s ADTS 505. The launch of the new ADTS 55x family (in particular the ADTS 552) allowed Druck to phase out the ageing ADTS 505 as it reached the end of its product life cycle. In light of this, the customer considered upgrading their ADTS fleet in order to continue to perform critical pitot static measurements, which play an integral role in the safe operation of their aircraft and are therefore used regularly as part of their routine maintenance schedule.

Customer Type: Supplier of mission critical aviation services

Industry: Aerospace

Application: Testing aircraft pitot static systems

Solution: Druck's ADTS 542F / ADTS 552F Air Data Test Sets

The Customer

Druck’s customer, based in Germany, are one of the largest flight-ambulance operators worldwide. Within their fleet, the customer offers business jets including the Bombardier Global Express, Bombardier Challenger 604 and Bombardier Learjet aircraft.

Customer’s challenge

Air Data Test Sets (ADTS), also referred to as Pitot Static testers, are used for testing and calibrating the airspeed and altitude indicators on the aircraft pitot-static systems (known as air data systems). In the Aviation industry, testing is required whenever on-board instruments are manufactured, repaired, calibrated or integrated into the aircraft.

Pitot static testing is performed by connecting the ADTS to the aircraft using a combination of hoses and a bespoke set of connectors which are manufactured by specialist companies. Within their fleet, the customer operates a substantial number of small jets and helicopters, which are more compact in size than commercial airframes. In most cases, smaller jets and helicopters have a piston-powered engine which prevents these smaller aircraft from reaching the same altitudes as commercial aircraft. Therefore, a smaller, lightweight ADTS providing ultra-low speed and altitude readings was essential.

For many years the customer had been using Druck’s ADTS 505. The launch of the new ADTS 55x family (in particular the ADTS 552) allowed Druck to phase out the ageing ADTS 505 as it reached the end of its product life cycle. In light of this, the customer considered upgrading their ADTS fleet in order to continue to perform critical pitot static measurements, which play an integral role in the safe operation of their aircraft and are therefore used regularly as part of their routine maintenance schedule.

Druck’s added value

Druck’s customer required pitot static testers that maintain aircraft RVSM compliance, thus ensuring their aircraft instrumentation is sufficiently calibrated and therefore safe to fly in close proximity to other aircraft.

The introduction of Druck’s ADTS 552F provided the following benefits:

A high quality and robustly designed instrument with several safety features to protect aircraft instrumentation in the event of user error.

The easy to use wireless remote hand terminal with an operating range of up to 300 metres ensured a reduction in the time required to calibrate, as set up involving cables to the hand terminal were not required. As a result of not using a wired hand terminal levels of safety improve due to there being a reduction in potential trip hazards.

Druck’s global service network ensures that local support for instrument maintenance can be provided anywhere in the world, providing peace of mind to the customer.

Industry leading speed-to setpoint when using the larger pump in the ADTS 552F leads to faster calibration and maintenance and reduced AOG condition time during unscheduled aircraft maintenance periods.

TERPS technology is housed within the ADTS5xxF family, providing industry leading measurement accuracy (0.1mbar) which includes NLHR (Non linearity, hysteresis and repeatability) effects as well as immunity to density or humidity changes. This sensing technology within Druck’s Air Data Test Sets ensure that aircraft using them are able to not just to comply, but to exceed the industry’s RVSM requirements This provides peace of mind that aircraft can fly closer together and greatly reduces the risk of a catastrophic mid-air incident.