Variable Stability Aircraft (VSA)

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. The United States Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF TPS), Edwards AFB, CA is seeking sources for Variable Stability Aircraft (VSA) support capabilities to include: Variable Stability training services and flight demonstrations, Test Management Projects, and Staff Development projects at Edwards AFB. Responses will assist the Government in determining whether to set-aside/restrict competition or solicit offers from all responsible sources. The Government will consider all responses to determine the extent of interest of qualified sources. Industry must submit sufficient information for the Government to determine experience. Background: This requirement is to familiarize student and staff members with various aspects of the longitudinal and lateral/directional modes of aircraft motion. A VSA is a highly modified aircraft capable of changing key aircraft parameters quickly to represent different aircraft flying and handling qualities. These sorties are airborne laboratories which marry the academics with real time flights. Scope: The contractor shall provide an aircraft that is capable of quickly changing key aircraft parameters. This VSA must be capable of creating an in-flight simulator environment that can reproduce different aircraft flying qualities without modification to aircraft hardware or software. This aircraft shall provide a pressurized cockpit "shirt sleeves" environment. To demonstrate a wide variety of aircraft dynamic modes and responses, the VSA shall have an elevator, aileron, and rudder response capability equal to or greater than 60 degrees per second. As a minimum the VSA aircraft shall demonstrate short period mode natural frequencies greater than or equal to 10 radians per second and Dutch Roll mode frequencies greater than or equal to 5 radians per second. Damping ratios capabilities shall vary from unstable configurations to highly damped configurations. Normal accelerations capabilities shall have as a minimum 2.5g. The VSA aircraft shall have the capability to perform simulated operations handling tasks such as aggressive air-to-air tracking or air-to-ground weapons release tasks. The VSA aircraft shall have center stick and side stick capabilities. The stick dynamics shall simulate friction, preload, freeplay, nonlinear gradients, bobweights, align with the capability to implement lead and lag stick command filters plus stick command pure time delay. The VSA shall have data acquisition, recording, and telemetry capability. This shall extend beyond on aircraft recording, and shall include a data link capable of interface with USAF TPS ground control station for RPV operation of the VSA. The VSA will also have video recording capability from the pilot station. The VSA shall have sufficient seating for a safety pilot, evaluation pilot, and at least one student/staff observer. Due to strict schedule constraints, the VSA shall have a proven record of high reliability with quick maintenance turnaround capabilities that will support a minimum of two sorties per day. The VSA shall have a transponder equipped with Mode 3C and a VHF radio installed and functional on each aircraft. The VSA shall have a fixed gun sight installed. VSA will have datalink for RPA flights. Aircraft Communication/Navigation equipment shall include a transponder with mode 3C capability and a VHF or UHF aviation band radio. The aircraft shall include, at a minimum precision navigation systems using Global Positioning System (GPS) or Inertial Navigation System (INS). This sources sought notice is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation for a bid or proposal. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government does not intend to pay for any information provided under this notice. All respondents are reminded of the System for Award Management (SAM) requirement to be considered eligible for any potential Department of Defense (DoD) contract. SAM registration information can be obtained at www.sam.gov. All interested vendors should submit information to include: Name of Company Address Phone number Point of Contact Cage Code/DUNS Business Size Brief description of aircraft available through your company that meets the above requirements