The Environmental Testing Laboratory of the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University has taken additional steps toward its goal to be a one-stop shop for environmental testing.  

NIAR's Environmental Labs, which opened in April 2008 with the Susceptibility Test Lab, now have the capability to provide testing and certification for the following sections of the RTCA DO-160 handbook:

• Section 4: Temperature & Altitude

• Section 5: Temperature Variation

• Section 6: Humidity

• Section 7: Operational Shocks and Crash Safety

• Section 8: Vibration

• Section 14: Salt Fog

• Section 15: Magnetic Effect

• Section 16: Power Input

• Section 17: Voltage Spike

• Section 18: Audio Frequency Conducted Susceptibility/ Power Inputs

• Section 19: Induced Signal Susceptibility

• Section 20: Radio Frequency Susceptibility

• Section 21: Emission of Radio Frequency Energy

• Section 22: Lightning Induced Transient Susceptibility

• Section 24: Icing

• Section 25: Electrostatic Discharge

The labs will begin to offer testing and certification for the following sections starting early this year:

• Section 9: Explosive Proofness

• Section 10: Waterproofness

• Section 11: Fluids Susceptibility 

• Section 12: Sand and Dust

• Section 13: Fungus Resistance

• Section 26: Fire and Flammability

Plans also include a facility to conduct lightning direct effects tests (Section 23) in mid 2010.  

DO-160 is a set of guidelines developed by the Radio Technical Commission on Aeronautics.

RTCA, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit corporation that develops consensus-based recommendations regarding communications, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management (CNS/ATM) system issues. RTCA functions as a Federal Advisory Committee. Its recommendations are used by the Federal Aviation Administration as the basis for policy, program and regulatory decisions and by the private sector as the basis for development, investment and other business decisions.

NIAR is an associate member of the RTCA.