--- title: enDAQ Vibration Data Logger Helps US Navy Quickly Isolate a Vibration Issue description: Discover how NAVAIR used enDAQ data loggers to swiftly isolate cockpit vibration issues in a C-2A Greyhound, saving time and reducing costs significantly. image: https://info.endaq.com/hubfs/endaq-navair-slam-stick-vibration-data-logger-case-study-1.jpeg --- [![enDAQ](https://info.endaq.com/hubfs/endaq-logo-color-Sep-16-2026-08-56-36-2499-PM.svg)](https://endaq.com/) - [Products](https://endaq.com/collections/endaq-shock-recorders-vibration-data-logger-sensors) Products menu - [All Data Loggers](https://endaq.com/collections/endaq-shock-recorders-vibration-data-logger-sensors) - [Data Loggers: Standard](https://endaq.com/collections/endaq-shock-recorders-vibration-data-logger-sensors?_=pf&pf_t_series_type=Series%20Type__S3&pf_t_series_type=Series%20Type__S4) - [Data Loggers: Large Battery](https://endaq.com/collections/endaq-shock-recorders-vibration-data-logger-sensors?_=pf&pf_t_series_type=Series%20Type__S5) - 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[Shock Analysis: Response Spectrum (SRS)](https://blog.endaq.com/shock-analysis-response-spectrum-srs-pseudo-velocity-severity?hsLang=en) - [Accelerometer Selection: Take out the Guesswork](https://blog.endaq.com/accelerometer-selection?hsLang=en) - [...All Blog Posts](https://blog.endaq.com/?hsLang=en) - [Help Center](https://support.endaq.com/) - [Contact](https://endaq.com/pages/contact) Search [Cart](https://endaq.com/cart) Menu Search enDAQ Search Military Aviation & Defense Case Study # **How enDAQ Vibration Data Logger Helped the US Navy Quickly Isolate a Vibration Issue — Saving Time and Money** This case study describes how NAVAIR engineers used enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) vibration data loggers to rapidly isolate the source of excessive cockpit vibration in a US Navy C-2A Greyhound aircraft—saving 34.5 hours of setup time and more than $5,000 in labor costs versus a traditional wired accelerometer approach. Impact at a glance 95.8% Time & Cost Savings By replacing a traditional wired accelerometer DAQ system with enDAQ data loggers, NAVAIR reduced test setup from 36 hours to 1.5 hours — saving 34.5 hours and over $5,175 in labor costs for a single vibration investigation. NAVAIR · Naval Air Station North Island · enDAQ Executive Summary ## How NAVAIR isolated a flight-surface vibration fault in days — not weeks When the crew of a US Navy C-2A Greyhound continued reporting excessive cockpit vibration despite no abnormal readings on the engine's built-in monitoring system, NAVAIR needed a way to instrument the entire aircraft quickly. enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) vibration data loggers — requiring no wiring — enabled a single engineer to instrument nine locations across the aircraft in 30 minutes, dramatically reducing setup time and enabling rapid fault identification.. Challenge **The Challenge: Unresolved Cockpit Vibration** Engine monitoring showed no abnormal readings, yet the crew reported persistent excessive vibration. Multi-day instrumentation of the full aircraft was needed to isolate the source.  Solution **Wireless, Wire-Free Data Loggers** 9 enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) data loggers were installed with double-sided tape throughout the aircraft by one engineer in 30 minutes — including one on the aircraft exterior, which would have been nearly impossible with wired sensors. Results **34.5 Hours and $5,175 Saved**. The vibration source was identified in the rear of the aircraft and isolated to a faulty flight-surface dampener. The repaired aircraft was returned to service after final verification testing. [![Download PDF of Case Study](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/637862/837e00af-b158-4596-8fa1-3fa58c9fa17d.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/637862/837e00af-b158-4596-8fa1-3fa58c9fa17d) --- The Challenge ## Persistent cockpit vibration with no obvious source Vu Buu, Subject Matter Expert for Vibration Issues at the US Navy's Naval Air Station, North Island, faced a challenging diagnostic problem. The crew of a C-2A Greyhound continued reporting excessive vibration in the cockpit. Despite checking the aircraft's engine vibration monitoring system, no abnormal vibrations were detected—meaning the source was elsewhere and would need to be found through more extensive testing. Isolating the source required instrumenting accelerometers throughout the entire aircraft over several days. Setting up such a test with traditional wired accelerometers would have been extremely time-consuming and costly—requiring multiple engineers and days of setup time before any useful data could be collected. - Crew-reported cockpit vibration was not captured by the engine's built-in monitoring system. - Multi-day, full-aircraft instrumentation was required to narrow down the vibration source. - Traditional wired accelerometer setup would have required a 3-engineer team and 4 hours per day of setup. - Some target locations (e.g., the aircraft exterior) were practically inaccessible with wired systems. --- The Solution ## Nine enDAQs. One engineer. Thirty minutes. The US Navy had recently funded development and procurement of Midé Technology's enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) vibration data loggers. Because enDAQ require no external wiring, power supply, or laptop connection per trial, they were ideal for rapid field deployment across the aircraft. --- ![endaq-navair-slam-stick-vibration-data-logger-case-study](https://info.endaq.com/hs-fs/hubfs/endaq-navair-slam-stick-vibration-data-logger-case-study.jpeg?width=1000&height=433&name=endaq-navair-slam-stick-vibration-data-logger-case-study.jpeg) enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) mounted with double-sided tape throughout the aircraft. --- The NAVAIR engineering team installed 9 enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) with double-sided tape throughout the aircraft in a broad initial sweep to identify the vibration zone. Installation required just one engineer and took approximately 30 minutes across the three-day test period. A traditional wired accelerometer setup would have required a team of three engineers spending four hours per day—a total of 36 setup hours across the same period. Once initial data indicated that excessive vibrations were concentrated in the rear of the aircraft, the enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) were quickly relocated to the aft section for more targeted analysis. Crucially, one installation location was on the outside of the aircraft—a position that would have been nearly impossible to instrument using a traditional wired approach. "Traditional wired accelerometers work great in the lab; but the environment in the aircraft is totally different and much more conducive for Slam Stick (now enDAQ)." — Vu Buu, SME Vibration Issues, US Navy Results ## Faulty dampener identified, repaired, and aircraft returned to service 34.5 hours of setup time saved  ·  $5,175+ in labor savings  ·  95.8% time and cost reduction 1.5 hrs Total enDAQ setup time (3 days) . 36 hrs Traditional wired setup time (3 days) . $5,175+ Labor savings at $150/hr (setup only) .   Vibration data from the second day of testing pinpointed a faulty dampener on one of the flight control surfaces. This dampener's role is to absorb vibrations from the flight control surface before they transmit to the yoke. The dampener was replaced and final testing confirmed the vibrations had been eliminated—allowing the aircraft to return to service. "The Slam Stick) worked really well for us; we much preferred them to a traditional wired accelerometer setup because of the time savings they offered." — Vu Buu, SME Vibration Issues, US Navy Following this success, NAVAIR expanded their use of enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick). The Navy now prefers them for applications where wiring would be impossible, such as instrumenting aircraft landing gear. NAVAIR purchased an additional 280 units after already deploying nearly 200, with plans to acquire 600 units over the following years—projecting $3–5 million in vibration testing savings over four years. [![Book a Demo  →](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/637862/interactive-192720055314.png)](https://info.endaq.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJwZtWjIfnfwcd6j6iJanbtExGRDazLNPF5aGQk7h2GMykMleJad6uX0aFC15JknYtL23kSVAFVEd9PLHY6Yeb6ZWiM65q68Fj4N4Un8MmO1otaJLDcCgu43wnjmAoyVULQRdk56SofytGkbv%2B%2Fe7akRC7kwpNgec8yt5yZcsgxdxgwpdmHGDx9qOzM&webInteractiveContentId=192720055314&portalId=637862&hsLang=en) --- Comparison of Testing Approaches | Aspect | Traditional Wired Accelerometer DAQ | enDAQ Data Loggers | | --- | --- | --- | | Setup time (3-day test) | 36 hours (3 engineers × 4 hrs/day) | 1.5 hours (1 engineer × 0.5 hrs/day) | | Setup labor cost | $5,400+ at $150/hr | $225 at $150/hr | | Exterior / inaccessible locations | Near impossible | Straightforward — no wiring required | | Installation complexity | High — wiring, power, laptop connections | Low — double-sided tape, push-button start | | Relocation between test days | Time-consuming rewiring required | Simply reposition and re-stick | --- ### Frequently Asked Questions What is a Slam Stick and how does it relate to enDAQ? Slam Stick was the original product name for Midé Technology's vibration data loggers. The product line has since been rebranded as enDAQ sensors. The technology is the same — self-contained, wireless vibration data loggers with integrated battery and onboard storage. Why couldn't the aircraft's built-in monitoring system detect the vibration issue? Built-in engine monitoring systems are designed to detect vibration at specific monitored points (typically engine components). A fault in a flight control surface dampener produces vibration that transmits through the airframe rather than directly through the engine monitoring sensors, making it invisible to the standard system. What makes enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) sensors suitable for aircraft environments? enDAQ sensors are compact, ruggedized, and require no external wiring or power connections. They begin recording with a push of a button and can be mounted with adhesive in locations inaccessible to wired systems — including aircraft exteriors and tight structural cavities. How did NAVAIR determine the vibration source from the data? By analyzing data from sensors distributed throughout the aircraft, the team identified that excessive vibrations were concentrated in the aircraft's rear section. They then relocated sensors to that area for more targeted measurement, ultimately identifying the faulty dampener on a flight control surface. What is the long-term investment NAVAIR has made in enDAQ sensors? After the initial success, NAVAIR purchased an additional 280 units on top of the nearly 200 already deployed. Plans called for acquiring 600 units total over the following years, with projected vibration testing savings of $3–5 million over four years. Project Details Key information for engineers **Customer:** NAVAIR / Fleet Readiness Center Southwest **Location:** Naval Air Station North Island, CA **Application:** Airborne vibration fault isolation **Aircraft:** C-2A Greyhound **Primary Product:** enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick) - 9 sensors deployed per test session - Installation: 1 engineer, 30 min/day - 34.5 hours of setup time saved - $5,175+ in labor savings - Faulty dampener identified and replaced - Aircraft returned to service "Traditional wired accelerometers work great in the lab; but the environment in the aircraft is totally different and much more conducive for enDAQ (formerly Slam Stick)." — Vu Buu, SME Vibration Issues, US Navy [![Download PDF of Case Study](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/637862/837e00af-b158-4596-8fa1-3fa58c9fa17d.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/637862/837e00af-b158-4596-8fa1-3fa58c9fa17d) --- # Book a Demo ### Welcome. 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