State-of-the-Art Ground Vibration Test on the DO 328-100 Uplift Research Aircraft and Development of a suitable pneumatic Air Suspension System

Kurzfassung

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive Ground Vibration Test (GVT) conducted on the Dornier Do 328-100 Uplift research aircraft at the Deutsche Aircraft facility in Oberpfaffenhofen (EDMO) from July 14 to 26, 2025. The aircraft, which has already been in use, is being converted into a flying testbed for climate-compatible aviation technologies, including synthetic fuels and hydrogen propulsion. The primary objective of the test was to determine experimental modal parameters such as eigenfrequency, high-resolution mode shape vectors, modal damping ratios, and generalized masses to validate and update the aircraft's finite element (FE) model and to support subsequent aeroelastic analysis. These data are essential for certifying future structural modifications, particularly the planned installation of fuselage and wing-mounted pods, which are expected to cause significant change of the aircraft's dynamic behaviour. A secondary objective was to evaluate a novel air suspension system specifically developed for this class of aircraft in collaboration with Fabreeka GmbH. This marks the first application of the system on a full-scale aircraft, demonstrating its viability as a key enabler for results accuracy in ground vibration testing.