Patent ID: 7672817

Claim:
A method of measuring an aircraft under simulated flight-loads while not in flight comprising: placing at least one cradle device under each wing of the aircraft while the aircraft is disposed on a surface; placing at least another cradle device against each horizontal stabilizer of the aircraft; raising the aircraft off the surface by jacking up the at least one cradle device under each wing to apply upward forces against each wing; forcing the horizontal stabilizers in a downward direction by forcing the at least another cradle device downward against each horizontal stabilizer; applying simulated flight-loads to said aircraft by applying upward air pressure, supplied by the at least one cradle device, against each wing, and by applying downward air pressure, supplied by the at least another cradle device, against each horizontal stabilizer in order to substantially simulate loads on said aircraft during flight; and measuring a position of one or more portions of said aircraft while under said simulated flight-loads.