TEMPERATURE RELATED TROUBLE SHOOTING EQUIPMENT The Department of the Air Force is seeking a commercial field-level thermal troubleshooting system for detecting temperature anomalies on USAF aircraft. To provide the USAF with the best value for the investment, the targeted troubleshooting applications will be determined as part of this project. However, candidate troubleshooting applications include locating leading edge bleed air duct and fuselage pressure leaks, fuselage skin temperature measurements prior to painting, remote engine checks for leaks and hot spots, wiring and avionics diagnostics, window heating nonuniformity measurements, and battery and landing gear brake overheating. The troubleshooting system will be selected through a three-phase program that identifies and evaluates candidate commercial thermal measurement systems in structured experiments and on-aircraft field testing. Specifically, this program will determine the "best" commercial off the shelf system available by evaluating the measurement system accuracy (ability to correctly detect a thermal anomaly), sensitivity (minimum detectable temperature difference and spatial sensitivity), analysis capabilities (ease of measurement interpretation), versatility (capability of the system to be used for varying thermal troubleshooting applications), portability, complexity (intricacy of the tasks required to perform the measurements, training requirements), human factors (procedures, hardware or software related elements that may act as a source of human error), troubleshooting time, cost (initial and recurring maintenance or calibration expenses), and suitability for field use (e.g., hardware robustness, sensitivity to environmental conditions). SCHEDULE: Commercial systems will be surveyed in December 1999 February 2000. Candidate systems for evaluation will be selected in March and April 2000. Competitive evaluations of selected commercial systems will commence in the summer of 2000. These evaluations will be conducted by Sandia National Laboratories at the FAA Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center in Albuquerque, NM. On aircraft field evaluations will occur in the fall of 2000 at an Air Force base to be determined at a later date. The USAF intends to field the selected system in 2001. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION OR PARTICIPATION: Vendors interested in being considered for this program should respond in writing before February 4, 2000. Please respond to Sheila Pounds, who will put you in contact with the technical points of contact, at Sandia National Laboratories, MS-1380, P. O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185-1380, Fax: (505) 843-4163, e-mail slpound@sandia.gov. Please indicate the date and title of the CBD notice in your communication. SYSTEM PROCUREMENT: Any and all system procurements will be conducted by the USAF. However, participation in this evaluation does not guarantee that the USAF will procure any systems. Participants in the structured evaluation experiments will not be reimbursed for any costs incurred. E-MAIL: Sheila L. Pounds, slpound@sandia.gov. Posted 12/17/99 (W-SN409548).

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