This bright blue-and-white twin-jet aircraft may look like an ordinary F/A-18 Hornet fighter, but inside its a different bird. Currently being flown by NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, in a multi-year, joint NASA/DOD/industry program, the former Navy fighter has been modified into a unique Systems Research Aircraft (SRA) to investigate a host of new technologies in the areas of flight controls, airdata sensing and advanced computing. One of the more than 20 experiments being tested aboard the SRA F-18 is an advanced air data sensing system which uses a group of pressure taps flush-mounted on the forward fuselage to measure both altitude and wind speed and direction--critical data for flight control and research investigations. The Real-Time Flush Air Data Sensing system concept is being evaluated for possible use on the X-33 resuable space-launch vehicle. The primary goal of the SRA program is to validate through flight research cutting-edge technologies which could benefit future aircraft and spacecraft by improving efficiency and performance, reducing weight and complexity, with a resultant reduction on development and operational costs.
