DEFINITION:

The occurrence of failures in the aircraft’s systems can lead to a degradation of stability and/ or the performance of the aircraft. Although failure cases are taken into account in the design process of the aircraft, it is useful to perform separate and detailed studies of systems failures for the analysis and prevention of aircraft accidents and incidents. Bird strike or collision with other objects is a frequently occurring example.

Sufficiently accurate models of system failures and their effect on aerodynamics and system dynamics have to be generated.

(Source: ACARE Domain 505)

SUBDOMAINS:

1. Analysis of engine failure
2. Design of fault-tolerant/ adaptive control systems (redundancy, fault detection and reconfiguration)
3. Analysis of FCS hardware failure (sensors, hydraulic systems, control surfaces)
4. Damage to the aircraft structure, resulting in altered aerodynamic properties