Rotorcraft Certification by Simulation and Analysis - Course Overview

The course will follow the structured Rotorcraft Certification by Simulation (RCbS) Process described in detail in the Springer Book of the same title, guiding trainees through the application of flight simulation and analysis to support certification compliance with EASA CS-27 and CS-29

The course will take place at the University of Liverpool from 8-12 June, 2026.

Date:	8-12 June 2026
Location:	School of Engineering, The University of Liverpool, UK
Places Available:	20 (first come, first served basis)
Cost:	£2,860

Course description

Using a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach, trainees will work in teams to ‘learn by doing’; starting with the selection of the Applicable Certification Rules (ACRs) and following the Process through the assembly of flight simulation requirements, informed by judgements on Influence, Predictability and Credibility, and on into the detailed building of the content of the Flight Simulation Model and Flight Simulator to ensure ‘sufficient’ fidelity and representivity.

The course will provide early adopters with the skills and knowledge needed to apply the RCbS Process in practice. It is designed for:

Professionals experienced in modelling and simulation for rotorcraft design and development
Flight test engineers looking to understand simulation-based certification methods
Those interested in expanding their expertise in this rapidly evolving field.

The course will build on industry good-practices but is considered a significant step forward in the development of certification methods, particularly in terms of the importance of a structured, requirements-based Process, using adaptable-fidelity, descriptive and predictive simulation tools and associated pre-certification flight testing, to reach the goal of a credible flight simulation, fit for certification.

Trainees will form teams, each focussing on a specific ACR, selecting goals for their certification credit. FLIGHTLAB models of the aircraft will be used, along with Liverpool’s hexapod HELFLIGHT-R flight simulator to assess fidelity sufficiency. Test pilots will support the course with piloted-simulation assessments using the Handling Qualities and Simulation Fidelity Rating scales.

While the primary focus of the RCbS Springer Book and this Course will be conventional rotorcraft, the opportunity will be taken to explore its relevance to flight-related aspects in EASA’s Special Condition for VTOL-capable aircraft. EASA test pilot Hamdy Salam will host a special presentation and discussion entitled ‘SC-VTOL – Flying Qualities Requirements Status’ to tackle this issue head on.

The total cost of the course is £2,860, with a payment deadline of 5pm, 10 April 2026. Full payment will be required to secure a place, with a full refund issued if the course does not go ahead.

The course will be delivered by academic staff from the University of Liverpool, Cranfield University and Politecnico di Milano. The course will also be supported by Advanced Rotorcraft Technology, providing software and modelling support and expertise.

Name	Email address
Professor Gareth D Padfield FREng, Course director	gareth.padfield@liv.ac.uk
Professor Giuseppe Quaranta, Course deputy director	giuseppe.quaranta@polimi.it