The FRL provides in-flight testing services for research and development problems that require the flight environment to collect data. We commonly collaborate with government agencies and industry through direct research grants or in cooperative efforts with Texas A&M University. This center involves not only flight-test aircraft but a critical mass of researchers who have decades of specialized experience in active and passive separation control, laminar flow control, laminar-turbulent transition, and atmospheric measurements.
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Three aircraft are available to support FRL flight operations: a Cessna O-2A, Velocity XLRG-5, and a Stemme S10-V. A more detailed report on the FRL fleet selection process is available under Publications.
A brief summary of the aircrafts' capabilities is shown below. For further information, use the aircraft-specific links to the left, or click on the column headers in the table.
| Cessna O-2A | Velocity XLRG-5 | Stemme S-10V | |
| Year | 1968 | 2006 | 1995 |
| Wing Span | 38 ft | 31 ft | 75.5 ft |
| Length | 29 ft 2 in | 20 ft | 27 ft 8 in |
| Height | 9 ft 5 in | 7 ft 9 in | 5 ft 11 in |
| Chord | 5 ft | 5 ft | 2.7 ft |
| Top Speed | 192 kts | 184 kts | 146 kts |
| Useful Load | 1,745 lbs | 1,050 lbs | 412 lbs |
| Engine | 2 x IO-360, 210HP each | IO-550, 310 HP | Limbach, 85 HP |
| Ceiling | 19,500 ft | 20,000 ft | 20,000 ft |
| Electrical Power | 120A @ 24VDC | 90A @ 12VDC | TBD |
Please contact us for more information on maximum flight ranges, deployments, and available power for instrumentation.
