Overview
In this lab there are two major tasks. Believer Final Inspection Prep as well as Advanced Mission Planning and Emergencies. The Believer Final Inspection portion should be completed as a group.
The mission planning portion should be completely individual work and should not be completed with the assistance of your peers. We will be planning two separate missions. One will be a mission for the ULTRA on X-Plane and the other mission will be for your believer when operations start. All questions regarding mission planning should be directed immediately to your instructor. Task 0 should be completed before your sign up time.
Resources and Tools
Tasks - Believer Final Inspection Prep
Task 0 - Review Lab 01
Your classmates provided a quality assessment and punch list for your aircraft as a preliminary check before final inspection. Review this punch list to ensure all items were properly addressed.
Task 1 - Final Power On
Perform one final power check of your Believer. Be sure that the controls, motors, and all peripheral sensors work as expected. This is your final check before passing it off for final inspection next week.
Task 2 - Review Group E-portfolio
Your group e-portfolio will be reviewed as part of your final inspection next week. Be sure that you are happy with it’s condition.
Task 3 - Signoff Form
Complete the final inspection form below, confirming that your group is ready for final review beginning next week.
Tasks - Simulator
Task 0 - Pre-Briefings
Using Section D of the ULTRA UAS QRH above, create the following (simplified) briefings before your flight. You will brief your instructor verbally, so you need not write down your briefing; be prepared to lead it.
1. Training mission/training flight
2. KLAF rwy 10
3. Access: Assume yes
4. Speed limits 100 kts
5. Hours of operations: 5am to 12am
6. Operations point of contact:
7. Facilities point of contact:
8. Communication method within team: Verbal
9. Communication frequency with ATS: 122.95
10. Areas of operations:
11. Circuit directions and height: Left hand
12. Safety pilot position:
13. BVLOS procedures:
14. Concurrent operations allowed: 1. Activities: TBD/ Kidney bean auto circuit w/ transfer of control & auto flight practice
2. Weather current and forecast: Wind Direction: 100 | Speed 05KT | Visibility 2.5 SM | Cloud Layer FEW 900ft AGL
3. NOTAMS: As needed
4. Traffic: N/A
5. Fleet/Aircraft active: N/A
For item 10, use the FRAT below. 1. Objective and roles: To train in advanced mission planning and simulated emergencies. Roles: GCS, SP
2. Air traffic services coordinated: As needed
3. Satisfactory air vehicle inspection: TBD
4. Route/Time/Fuel: Route TBD | 1:30 | Fuel load:
5. DATX and SPAS battery and configuration: Yes
6. Radio links deconfliction: As needed
7. Interna/ External comms – frequencies and numbers: N/A
8. Personal Protective Equipment and fire extinguishers: Yes if applicable (non virtual flights)
9. Service bulletins: None
10. FRAT – Start, complete & submit:
11. Threat and Error management
12. Specific recovery procedures
13. Emergency scenario - review
14. GCS initial Setup and Start Checklists
Task 1 - Kidney Bean Mission
Using , other class resources, and the built-in GCS User Manual, recreate the mission below for KLAF RWY 10. Be sure that you achieve/answer the following: 60m min loiter radius What is the correct loiter direction for the rally point and why? The correct loiter direction should be the same as the pattern, in this case left hand. Why is the takeoff point not on the runway? Consider when the wayboard is achieved. Which waypoint appears unnecessary for landing on RWY 23 at KLAF? Under what conditions might this waypoint be necessary? Kidney bean mission plan for KLAF RWY 23.
Task 2 - Auto/stabilize handoff
Control transfer follows a three-step callout:
"you have control," "I have control," "you have control.“
Specific calls between UAV Pilot Instructor and student:
"I have the sticks," "you have the sticks," "I have the sticks"
— confirmed by a nudge.
Alerts:
If callout isn't completed in three steps, current commander retains control. Instructor must release momentary switch in emergencies to assume control formally.
Refer to the control transfer calls above to transfer command of the aircraft in the following scenarios. Repeat these for all group members:
Tips
Under normal operations, the SP will trigger mode changes. To abort a landing, SP throttle to 100% or press the abort landing button in GCS. GCS: State intention, direction of circuit, altitude, rally point location. SP: Read back and confirm GCS intentions. Stabilize in downwind, continue circuit (aircraft already in infinite auto circuit) SP: State intentions. Nudge aircraft. GCS: Confirm nudge seen. Confirm intentions. SP: Switch to stabilize after a proper countdown. State control GCS: Confirm SP has control. Auto in downwind, perform an SP-triggered aborted landing (go-around) to return to circuit. GCS: State intentions. Setup GCS for taking control. SP: Confirm intentions. Switch to auto after a proper countdown. SP: Confirm GCS has control SP: Abort auto landing just before flair. State go-around. GCS: Confirm go-around. Ask for the reason. SP: State the reason for the go-around. For example, the aircraft was not aligned with the centerline. GCS: Update mission as required. Full stop stabilized landing. SP: Switch to stabilize after a proper countdown. State control. GCS: Confirm SP has control GCS: Update current waypoint as needed. SP: Land, apply brakes, switch to taxi mode. GCS: Confirm taxi mode seen. Request SP intentions. SP: State intentions to switch control with another team member. Task 3 - Emergencies
Using section 8 from the ULTRA UAS - SOP above, answer the following questions:
What is the target speed for dual engine failure? What is the target speed for single engine failure? When should you deploy flaps? Upon landing or when the pilot is confident the aircraft will make it back safely. When you recognize that you’ve lost both engines, what should your first move be when you are within a few hundred feet of the ground? Speculate how this changes if you are at a few thousand feet above the ground? Near ground: shorten the landing circuit Far above ground: bleed off altitude and navigate towards landing circuit as needed Simulated Dual Engine Failure
Without warning, you will experience dual engine failure. It is your responsibility to alert your crew in an effective manner and land the ULTRA in a safe location.
Simulated Single-Engine Failure
Without warning, you will experience a single engine failure. It is your responsibility to alert your crew in an effective manner and land the ULTRA in a safe location.
Task 4 - Post-Briefings
Using above, prepare to deliver a post-briefing to your instructor covering the following sections: Task 5 - Believer Mission as homework
Taking the skills you have learned from this lab and lecture this week, plan an efficient mission. This mission will not be used for X-Plane simulations and should meet the criteria talked about in the lecture for a believer operation. This plan will be used when we operate the believers. We will be conducting operations at this location.
The red pin is on a grass strip used for landings.
Task 6 - Lab Out Brief
A quick out brief regarding the lab with you instructor
Deliverables
Upload to Brightspace the following
PDF of this completed page .json file of your X-Plane flight plan .json file of your Believer flight plan