This document deals with ground and flight test of airplane installed Environmental Control Systems (ECS), Figure 1. The ECS provide an environment, controlled within specified operational limits of comfort and safety, for humans, animals, and equipment. These limits include the following: pressure, temperature, humidity, ventilation air velocity, ventilation rate, wall temperature, audible noise, vibration, and environment composition (ozone, contaminants, etc.). The ECS are composed of equipment, controls, and indicators that supply, distribute, recycle and exhaust air to maintain the desired environment.

Purpose:

This document defines recommended tests and test procedures for airplane installed ECS. The purpose of these tests is to:

a. verify system pressure integrity (leakage),

b. verify integration and compatibility of ECS with other airplane systems, and

c. determine overall system performance in conditions representative of those which may be encountered during operations.

Field of Application:

These tests (and procedures) may be used for commercial and military airplane certification (test of first article) or for production airplane (to ensure built as design) tests. The selection of the appropriate test conditions, instrumentation, and test procedures depends on a large number of variables (airplane configuration, system concept, hardware, integration with other on-board systems, certification or production airplane, etc.). Thus, these are addressed in general terms. This document is intended to serve as a guide in the planning and conduct of tests. The specification or contractual or regulatory (Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), Joint Airworthiness Regulations (JAR)) requirements should be considered. The test plan and procedure should be coordinated with the appropriate agency.

Test data may be used to show compliance with the applicable airplane specification, contractual, or regulatory requirements and to verify analytical simulation models. If the former is intended, it is extremely important to obtain prior approval of the test plan and procedure from the appropriate agency.