Next week is set for testing of emergency locator transmitter (ELTs), says NASA, the US space agency.
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The test will be conducted at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. But there’s some legitimate science being done at this facility. When the plane is dropped it will be packed with five ELTs, data-gathering sensors, cameras, and two crash test dummies.
In more scientific fashion than Hollywood, the agency’s Search and Rescue Mission Office will simulate a survivable plane crash. The signal is then reflected to the search and rescue (SAR) ground station.
“ELTs have to work in the extreme circumstances involved in an airplane crash”, NASA said in a statement. Rescuers get the information about ELT’s identity and location with the help of the signal.
“The crash tests are designed to identify ways to improve performance and robustness of the ELT system”.
Real-life crashes are terrifying, but simulated crashes are not only important for safety research, they’re also really, really fun to watch.
The test on Wednesday will mark the last of the three crash tests of three different Cessna 172 aircraft.
In the second test, the aircraft was crashed nose down on to soil from 100ft height.
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On Wednesday afternoon, between 1 and 2 p.m. EST, the plane will be raised to 110 feet and dropped tail first into soil.
