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American
Kestrel Company,
LLC provides system
development, design and certification services for aircraft, ice
protection systems, and sensors. Founder David Parkins is an FAA Designated Engineering
representative specializing in the icing flight certification of Part
23 and 25 aircraft, Part 27 and 29 rotorcraft, Tiltrotors, and Part 35 (propellers)
as well as systems and modifications. In addition to being an
instrumented pilot,
Mr. Parkins is a past Chairman of the SAE AC-9C
Aircraft Icing Technical
Subcommittee.
American Kestrel is very active in icing related
standards
development and within the icing community including ASTM, EUROCAE, and SAE. American Kestrel provides
the following certification support services:
- Negotiation of icing certification basis;
- Coordination of icing certification with the
regulatory agency,
- Icing specific analysis (LEWICE thermal and ice
accretion analysis);
- Failure modes and effects criticality Analysis (FMECA
and FMEA);
- Environmental test plans (RTCA Do-160);
- Test plans (flight test, icing wind tunnel test,
freezing fog, blowing snow, etc.);
- Test data approvals (Mechanical Systems DER
specializing in icing).
American Kestrel provides
certification support for the following aircraft
components/systems:
- engine installations,
- propeller ice protection,
- windshield ice protection,
- engine inlets,
- cooling inlets,
- antenna installations,
- fuel tank vents,
- radomes,
- wings,
- struts, and
- elevator/rudder
horns.
Above is
test wing in the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel. This facility is
typically used both in the development and certification stages of an
icing certification program for an aircraft looking to obtain known
icing approval. When combines with ice accretion analysis utilizing
programs like LEWICE and flight testing, it provides a controlled
environment for verifying the performance and performance envelope of
the proposed integrated aircraft component.
Above is
typical ice shaped formed in the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel. The
wing is swept, hence the right pointing ice fingers.
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