SALS - Small Aircraft Landing System

Abstract

Dette bachelorprosjektet dekker designprosessen og utviklingen av løsningen SALS – Small Aircraft Landing System. SALS er en idé presentert av oppdragsgivere Tore Fuglerud og & Steinar Storm Kristiansen. Tore er hobbyflyger, og Steinar Storm Kristiansen er flyinstruktør med mange timer i fly.

SALS er et hjelpemiddel tiltenkt bruk i småfly for å sikre, forenkle og effektivisere innflyvningsfasen for piloter. Dette gjøres ved å skape et siktefelt konstruert via to siktepinner som kan justeres etter pilotens ønske. Siktefeltet brukes til å lokalisere og beholde et referansepunkt som brukes under metoden «aiming point» ved innflyvning. Innretningen kan monteres og demonteres på under 2 sekunder etter krav fra oppdragsgivere.

Utviklingsprosessen vil fokusere på bruk av designmetodikk fra studieprogrammet teknologidesign og ledelse for å løse problemstillingen. Prosessen går fra kartlegging og idégenerering til konseptutvikling. Prosessen vil bestå av en iterativ tilnærming ved bruk av prototyping og 3D-printing for å gjøre kontinuerlige evalueringer og forbedringer på komponentene.

The purpose behind this bachelor project is to design and develop an analogue device that can aid pilots and pilot students during the landing process in smaller aircrafts. The device has to be able to be mounted and dismounted in less than 2 seconds, and be easy to operate for the pilot, requiring the use of only one hand.

The project will use an iterative design method, containing defining a need and a problem, information and idea assessment, idea generation and idea enhancement. These are steps that will be followed and revisited as needed throughout the project to ensure that we have the highest chance of producing the best possible outcome. Relevant users will be involved in the process to provide real world feedback. The user centered design will also be implemented to gain knowledge about aviation and flying, to further be able to localize, describe and solve relevant problems.

Specific methods within the methodology will contain user interviews, field studies, sketching, brainstorming, SWOT-analysis and more. CAD-modelling in SolidWorks will be used to produce digital models and renderings. 3D-printing via Fused Deposition Modelling will be the method of choice to produce physical models.

The project has resulted in high quality renders of the digital model, as well as a physical prototype that has been shown to function as required, all within a very simple, light and robust package. The clamp has been specifically designed for the Piper PA-28-181, with a connecting arm making the adjustment of the aiming area simple and smooth. The project report clearly details the design and thinking process, and presents relevant theory and methodology used throughout.

Using a small number of movable parts, while still maintaining full functionality has been top priority, and has been achieved. The SALS-solution has proven to be an effective aid during the limited landing processes it has been a part of and will become even more effective if developed further