APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT LOAD TESTING ON AN AIRCRAFT PART AND METHOD THEREOF

An apparatus for carrying out load testing on an aircraft part is described. In one aspect, the apparatus includes means for constraining the aircraft part and a linear actuator for applying a test load. The linear actuator has a first part being tiltable and being pivotally constrained about a first and a second geometrical axes, orthogonal to one another, and a second part being slidably mounted on the first part to slide along a longitudinal direction. A load cell, mounted on the second part, measures force acting on the aircraft part along the longitudinal direction. In one aspect, a first clinometer and a second clinometer are mounted on the linear actuator, each clinometer measuring a respective angle representative of rotation of the linear actuator respectively about the first and second geometrical axes. A displacement transducer measures sliding of the second part relative to the first part of the linear actuator.