ETTC'2003 - SEE

Furthermore, the configuration of the whole FTI is managed to predict the traffic on the network,
what can be predefined for every given configuration generated by SABRE. A specific study is being
led by AIRBUS Test Means to give a “Go / No Go” status for every FTI configuration.
Adaptation of FTI systems
Ethernet is not very common in Flight Test data acquisition, so AIRBUS and our suppliers had to take
up this new challenge. The less flexible systems on the FTI are L2, since some of them have been
designed before FTI LAN setup, and also due to the technologies used for the L2 function (few
processors and Operating Systems).
Over all, these acquisition systems are very different (various acquisitions -AFDX, numeric, RSxxx,
analog… and several suppliers) and constitute an heterogeneous environment to integrate into the
same LAN. AIRBUS suppliers had to adapt existing designs to provide the Ethernet function.
FTI : a Life-Time guarantee
FTI lifetime goes over tens of years ; for example A320 #1 is still performing flight tests after around
15 years. COTS systems duration is more likely to be below 5 years, and Ethernet switches have only
around 2 years of presence in suppliers’ catalogue.
For all the COTS systems, and especially for the L3 Switches, we chose to use as much as possible
Ethernet-standards functions to ensure a continuation among the future generations. Even if systems
are not present on the market in the next 10 years, the functionalities should be supported by new
network equipments.