@article{GENERAL,
      recid = {7702},
      author = {Dyer, AL and Walsh, M and McQuaid, S},
      title = {Enabling rotary wing maritime aviation for HMS Queen  Elizabeth – turning complexity into capability},
      journal = {Conference Proceedings of INEC},
      address = {2020-10-05},
      number = {GENERAL},
      abstract = {HMS Queen Elizabeth is the first of two new generation  aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy.Whilst the primary  role of the Queen Elizabeth Class is to provide fixed wing  carrier strike capability, it has a secondary role  supporting amphibious operations using the full range of  front line UK rotary-wing types. In order to derive Ship  Helicopter Operating Limits (SHOL) to support this  capability, Air Test and Evaluation Centre (ATEC) utilised  a combination of practical First of Class Flying Trials  (FOCFT) and analytical approaches. Whilst a broad overview  of the SHOL derivation process is presented, this paper  focusses on the conduct of the FOCFT which, due to the size  and complexity of the ship and limited time available in  the ship’s programme, presented significant  challenges requiring novel solutions. The Chinook HC Mk 5  and Merlin HM Mk 2 were selected as the trials aircraft as  these were both highly relevant to the amphibious assault  role and had previously been used to support analytical  clearances to other UK types. Typically during SHOL  testing, significant time may be spent in positioning the  ship to achieve desirable meteorological conditions for  test and manoeuvring to give specific relative winds.  Further, the test aircraft may spend more than half its  time in the circuit. Whenever possible, concurrent trials  flying with one Merlin and one Chinook was undertaken to  maximise the output from each atmospheric and relative wind  condition, with each aircraft conducting multiple landings  from a single circuit and approach. Co-ordinating and  sequencing the aircraft and test conditions provided a  significant challenge, particularly when reaching limiting  conditions. Automated analysis techniques were developed  and implemented to allow rapid assessment of landing data  for each aircraft and operating spot to inform test  planning between flights. In total 987 landing evolutions  were conducted in little over 2 weeks, including operations  by day and night to the maximum all up mass of both the  Merlin and Chinook in conditions up to Sea State 5.  Analytical methods were then utilised to provide clearances  for Apache, Wildcat and recommendations for Helicopter  Operations from Ships other Than Aircraft Carriers  (HOSTACS) based on the FOCFT data.},
      url = {http://library.imarest.org/record/7702},
}