RASCAL pod new tool for Air Force, research [with PHOTO]

Valley Press ^ | Tuesday, November 25, 2008. | ALLISON GATLIN

[BenLurkin]

EDWARDS AFB - The students at the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base have a new tool in their educational efforts, one that can benefit the Air Force and research institutions as well. The Reconfigurable Airborne Sensor, Communication and Laser - or RASCAL - pod provides a means of easily installing new instruments and technologies on board aircraft for flight testing.

The pod, with the test instrumentation installed inside, attaches beneath the wing of an F-16 or other aircraft using the same connections for exterior weapons such as missiles.

This standard connection provides versatility and ease of installation, opening the door to a wider variety of flight test projects.

The RASCAL was conceived by Lt. Col. Adam MacDonald, now director of education at the Test Pilot School.

While completing doctoral studies at the Air Force Institute of Technology, MacDonald realized the large gap existing between laboratory study and actual flight test opportunity. Once he arrived at Edwards, he set about addressing the problem with RASCAL.

Developing single-use test articles to evaluate instrumentation in flight can cost tens of millions of dollars, MacDonald said, and other modifications for specific flight testing are costly as well.

Previously, modifying a jet to conduct a flight test project at the Test Pilot School could take two to four weeks, involving thousands of dollars and keeping an aircraft out of circulation during that time.

"It's very expensive in terms of schedule and budget," MacDonald said.

In contrast, the pod requires only about 30 minutes to install on a jet, and may be used on any number of aircraft in the inventory.

RASCAL was designed, developed, built and tested at Edwards, using the resources of the Test Pilot School and the 412th maintenance and engineering groups.

[BenLurkin]

NEW ACCESSORY - The new RASCAL pod is seen on an F-16. Installing the pod on a jet requires only about 30 minutes, and the pod and may be used on any number of aircraft in the inventory. Edwards Air Force Base

[TheOgre]

I like shiney new things that help our warfighters blow bad guys stuff up. I feel really ill thinking how the kenyan will probably gut funding so they can’t get these shiney new tools.

[OCC]

This standard connection provides versatility and ease of installation

USB port or firewire?

[az_gila]

USB port or firewire?

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Probably uses the existing MIL-STD-1553 serial data bus... a little slower at 1 MHz....:^)