Flexible Switching for Flight Test Networks

Abstract

The network switch is a critical element in the flight test network. All devices in the network are configured, synchronised and managed via the switch. In addition to this all acquired data is routed through the switch. For these reasons, the flight test network switch has always needed to be rugged and reliable with high throughput and simple intuitive setup. Ethernet technology and the move towards open standards within FTI systems have enabled flight test networks to become increasingly flexible and heterogeneous. Modern FTI networks may have different synchronisation and data transmission protocols running simultaneously. It is also important to quickly switch network configurations for different flight profiles and to enable new features to be easily added to existing installations. This paper examines the increasing network interoperability and flexibility challenges and discusses how the network switch is best placed to provide solutions.