Learjet 85 Prototype Flying with Structural Health Monitoring System
System installed by Bombardier on the left and right panels of the aircraft’s composite vertical stabilizer.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Acellent Technologies said its structural health monitoring system (SHMS) was installed on the Bombardier Learjet 85 prototype–dubbed flight-test vehicle one (FTV1)–before the jet’s maiden flight last month. According to Acellent, Bombardier installed the SHMS on the left and right panel of the composite vertical stabilizer of FTV1. The layered sensor system can detect such things as strain, temperature and pressure. Bombardier has not said whether it will install SHMS on production aircraft.