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An inspection apparatus includes a light source positioned to direct light to a first surface of a workpiece. An infrared detector is positioned to receive radiation from the first surface. A data acquisition and processing computer is coupled to the light source and the infrared detector. The comp

An inspection apparatus includes a light source positioned to direct light to a first surface of a workpiece. An infrared detector is positioned to receive radiation from the first surface. A data acquisition and processing computer is coupled to the light source and the infrared detector. The computer triggers the light source to emit the light a number of instances. The computer acquires thermal data from the infrared detector for a number of times after each of the instances. The computer is configured to process the data using a theoretical solution to analyze the thermal data based upon an average of the thermal data for a number of each of corresponding ones of the times from different ones of the instances.

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What is claimed is: 1. An inspection apparatus comprising: a light source positioned to direct light to a first surface of a workpiece and consisting essentially of a pair of flash lamps positioned at a first side of the workpiece; an infrared detector comprising an infrared camera positioned near

What is claimed is: 1. An inspection apparatus comprising: a light source positioned to direct light to a first surface of a workpiece and consisting essentially of a pair of flash lamps positioned at a first side of the workpiece; an infrared detector comprising an infrared camera positioned near said first side to receive radiation from the first surface; and a data acquisition and processing computer: coupled to said light source for triggering said light source to emit said light a plurality of instances; coupled to said infrared detector for acquiring thermal data for a plurality of times after each of the instances; and configured for processing said thermal data by: for a plurality of each of corresponding ones of said times, averaging the thermal data from different ones of said instances; and using a theoretical solution to analyze said thermal data based upon said average, wherein the average is a separate average for each plurality of the corresponding times. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said average comprises a mean. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said average is taken across 2-20 of said instances. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said average is taken across 3-10 of said instances. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said average is taken across 2-4 of said instances. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the data comprises image data. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with said workpiece, said workpiece being a gas turbine engine hollow cast component. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with said workpiece, said workpiece being a coated gas turbine engine component. 9. A method comprising: causing a light source to emit pulses of light a plurality of instances, said light impinging a first surface of a workpiece; acquiring thermal data for the workpiece first surface for a plurality of times after each of the instances; and processing said thermal data by: for a plurality of each of corresponding ones of said times, averaging the thermal data from different ones of said instances; and using a theoretical solution to analyze said thermal data based upon said average of said thermal data, wherein the average is a separate average for each plurality of the corresponding times. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein: said average is taken across 3-10 of said instances. 11. The method of claim 9 wherein: said average is taken across 2 of said instances. 12. The method of claim 9 used to measure a wall thickness of a gas turbine engine hollow cast component. 13. The method of claim 9 used to measure a coating thickness of a gas turbine engine component. 14. The method of claim 9 used to detect a defect in a coating of a gas turbine engine component. 15. An apparatus comprising: first means for directing light to a first surface of a workpiece; second means for receiving radiation from the first surface; and third means for: triggering said light source to emit said light a plurality of instances; for acquiring thermal data for a plurality of times after each of the instances; and for processing said thermal data using a theoretical solution to analyze said thermal data based upon an average of said thermal data for a plurality of each of corresponding ones of said times from different ones of said instances, wherein the average is a separate average for each plurality of the corresponding times. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: the third means is configured to take said average across 3-10 of said instances. 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: the third means is configured to take said average as a mean. 18. A method for modifying a thermal imaging system from a baseline configuration having: a light source positioned to direct light to a first surface of a workpiece; an infrared detector positioned to receive radiation from the first surface; and a data acquisition and processing computer: coupled to said light source for triggering said light source to emit a flash of said light; coupled to said infrared detector for acquiring thermal data for a plurality of times after said flash; and configured for processing said thermal data using a theoretical solution to analyze said thermal data based upon said thermal data for a said flash, the method comprising: modifying the data acquisition and processing computer to or providing a replacement data acquisition and processing computer to: trigger said light source to emit a plurality of flashes of said light; acquire thermal data for a plurality of times after each of the flashes; and configured for processing said thermal data by: for a plurality of each of corresponding ones of said times, averaging the thermal data from different ones of said instances; and using a theoretical solution to analyze said thermal data based upon the average of said thermal data for a plurality of each of corresponding ones of said times from different ones of said flashes, wherein the average is a separate average for each plurality of the corresponding times. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein: the data acquisition and processing computer is configured in the modified system to take said average as a mean across 3-10 of said instances. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein the data acquisition and processing computer is configured in the modified system to take said average as a mean. 21. The method of claim 18 wherein: the data acquisition processing computer is configured in the baseline system to analyze said thermal data based upon said thermal data for only a single said flash; and the data acquisition and processing computer is configured in the modified system to take said average as a mean across 2-4 of said instances. 22. An inspection apparatus comprising: a light source positioned to direct light to a first surface of a workpiece and consisting and essentially of a pair of flash lamps positioned at a first side of the workpiece; an infrared detector comprising an infrared camera positioned near said first side to receive radiation from the first surface; and a data acquisition and processing computer: coupled to said light source for triggering said light source to emit said light a plurality of instances; coupled to said infrared detector for acquiring thermal data for a plurality of times after each of the instances; and configured for processing said thermal data by: for a plurality of each of corresponding ones of said times, averaging the thermal data from 2-4 different ones of said instances; and using a theoretical solution to analyze said thermal data based upon said average, wherein the average is a separate average for each plurality of the corresponding times.