NASA F-15B Supports Experimental Inlet Tests

Whenever anyone thinks NASA, they think space, but the folks at places like Dryden Flight Research Center are still in the business of advancing aeronautics.  Several airframe manufacturers are hoping to produce supersonic business aircraft when the current economic problems subside.  This inlet work could make the difference between success and failure as fuel prices rise.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1112447031/nasa-propulsion-experiment-provides-data-for-more-efficient-jet-engines/

Marine Takes Over Navy Test Wing Atlantic

This entry isn't really about active flight test, but the message sent by this appointment sends great signals about the future of the Navy's West Coast testing operations.  A guy with a lot of F-35 experience and multiple western test tours is exactly what you'd expect, but the real gravy is his experience running the Navy Test Pilot School.  This guy is going to know every test toad that comes in the door personally.  I suspect Navy Test West will be hitting on all cylinders for quite a while to come.  Congrats!

http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewStory/story_ID/25645/d/12282011

Airbus A400M Rounds Out Test Fleet

It looks like the last flight-test Grizzly is now on the line.  The article at the link below mentions a few of the test disciplines that the aircraft will investigate.  It is apparently a full-up or near full-up avionics bird, since part of its job will be EMI work.  The article also mentions the progress of testing in several other disciplines, to include stalls and rejected takeoffs.

http://www.defpro.com/news/details/30853/?SID=4edfa78bc454ad5c4705899e42b0c738

Raytheon SDB II Tests Multi-Spectral Seeker on UH-1

With millimeter-wave radar, imaging infra-red, and semi-active laser all on a single seeker-head, this guidance system for a stealth-compatible weapon can give a "go anywhere in any weather" punch to penetrators like the Raptor or F-35.  Add their networked information systems and it will be tough to hide.  If anyone sees you, everyone sees you.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11342882/1/raytheon-sdb-ii-flight-test-keeps-program-ahead-of-schedule.html

Sorocco's Sirocket Makes First Flight

I'm not very smart on ultralights, having gone hang-gliding exactly one time in my life, but it souinds like a lot of changes were made to this airframe to increase the maximum speed.  What I have to wonder, though, is if they were really planning to go straight to the maximum design speed on the first flight.  I'm glad the issues presented themselves in a way that allowed the team to adjust the plan.

http://www.eaa.org/ehotline/issues/111216.html

Anyone Want to Help Certify the AW-609?

If the job offer at the folloing link is any indication, Augusta will be doing their FAA certification tests in Arlington Texas starting pretty soon.

http://www.agustawestland.com/job-posting/aw-609-faa-certification-manager-arlington-tx

Boeing Proves out B-52 CONECT Upgrades

To an ever-greater degree, every military aircraft is becoming just another node in an extremely pervasive web of data capture, transmission, and utilization.  This system has been under evaluation for a while now, and has apparently convinced planners that it is ready for Low-Rate Initial Production.

http://www.4-traders.com/THE-BOEING-COMPANY-4816/news/THE-BOEING-COMPANY-Boeing-B-52-CONECT-System-Completes-Flight-Test-Milestone-13930358/

P&W PurePower Geared Turbofan Gears Up

There is good reason that Time Magazine would place this so high on their list of 2011 aviation contributions.  I don't know that I would necessarily place it number one, but the concept promises to be very powerful in improving fuel efficiency without having to go to noisy (and from the passengers' point of view outdated) turboprop configurations.  The difference with this fan is that instead of using exhaust gases coming off the high temperature turbine to spin the fan, this concept uses a (potentially) higher efficiency gearbox to do the same thing.  It becomes basically a shrouded turboprop or ducted fan configuration.

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/05/4100907/geared-for-success-landmark-year.html

(Photo Credit: P&W)



Turkish TAI ANKA UAV Testing Continues

It's amazing how much the shape of an aircraft is dictated by the mission.  This one is not a dead ringer for the Predator by any means.  Still...   Anyway, perhaps they can lend DoD the source code for their autoland capability.  Maybe we could stop putting so many of them in the dirt off the edge of the runway.

http://www.uasvision.com/2011/11/29/turkeys-anka-completes-6-hour-test-flight/

NASA Dryden F-18 Helps to Define "Quiet Enough"

A lot of airframers, both commercial and military, have good reasons to figure out how to travel supersonically in a quiet manner.  The folks at Dryden have specialized in this kind of flight research for a while and are still at it.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201221131.htm

GE's nx-1B Engine Moves Closer to Cert with ETOPS Success

You can't get the best efficiency with a twin unless you can fly the best routes, and you can't fly the best routes unless you can prove that the remaining engine will get you home from "feet wet" if one of them has a problem.  General Electric has jumped another hoop in the effort to prove that and certify the 787.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/genx-1b-earns-330min-faa-etops-certification-365510/

Chinese J-20 Back in the Air?

It apparently flew again nearly three weeks ago, but I have found very little information on test objectives or results.  It is not easy getting even the most basic information on programs like this one, but the link below has a bunch of fairly interesting flight test related videos.

http://www.military.com/video/aircraft/jet-fighters/chinas-j20-performs-new-test-flight/1302972546001/

Northrop/Navy X-47B Sets Blistering Test Pace

The only link I have for this is the membership-required URL below, but word on the street (courtesy AvWeek, which is never a surprise) is that the Edwards team accomplished 49 flights worth of data points in only 16 flights, which is a better than three-fold improvement in test efficiency.  How did you guys do that?  (Hopefully not the old standard of "padded" test planning.)  If you can get in, the link has some excellent info on progress of the test program and plans for next steps.

http://www.aviationweek.com/publication/awst/loggedin/AvnowStoryDisplay.do?fromChannel=awst&channel=awst&pubKey=awst&issueDate=2011-12-05&story=xml/awst_xml/2011/12/05/AW_12_05_2011_p54-398723.xml&headline=X%2d47B+Heads+To+Pax+River+En+Route+To+Carrier+Demo

Airbus A-320 Begins Tests with Sharklets

Performance testing isn't glamorous, but it is what really confirms whether or not a design is going to do what it was built to do.  A 3.5% performance improvement just from the sharklets seems a bit optimistic to me, but I have to admit that the pictures I've seen of them make them look awfully long (about 2.5 meters tall) so perhaps...

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2011/11/airbus-20111130.html

Word now is that the initial test program will also focus on fine-tuning the flight-control laws.

http://www.aviationbusiness.com.au/news/a320-sharklets-flight-test-program-underway

F-35C Launches from Electro-Magnetic Rail Gun

It would seem that the UK is trying to finalize the design of a future carrier and would like to be sure that an EMALS launcher would be compatible with their future F-35CV fleet.

http://www.janes.com/products/janes/defence-security-report.aspx?ID=1065931854&channel=defence

Northrop Grumman X-47B Adds Second Test Asset to Mix

The second airplane will allow stepped up performance testing to take place out at Edwards AFB.  This will allow the team to stay on pace to begin land-based carrier-suitability testing at Pax River next year.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/photo-release-increased-test-productivity-lifts-off-with-first-flight-of-second-northrop-grumman-built-x-47b-unmanned-aircraft-2011-11-28

(Photo Credit: U.S Navy)

It is difficult to tell for certain these days, but I believe this to be a notional picture only.

If it's real, then the bird is about to catch the 4-wire, which is NOT normally considered

a satisfactory trap.  There are also shadows of doors on the deck that do not appear to

be illuminated on the aircraft.

GE H-80 Turboprops Fly on Czech L-410

These engines are hoped to provide improved high density altitude takeoff and climb performance.  That should open up some additional destinations and markets for the aircraft.

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=14149308-1bff-4217-a154-6fae2e42a27b

L-410 Photo Courtesy http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/



Third Sukhoi PAK-FA Joins Test Program

The focus of the overall program seems to be avionics improvements that will add combat capability.  It isn't clear how the aircraft is doing in the basic areas of performance and flying qualities, but they have a lot of sorties in the books, so presumably a lot of that has been completed.  On to weapons integration?

http://www.4-traders.com/news/Third-PAK-FA-jet-joined-flight-test-program--13901711/

The Missile hit WHO?

You would think they would come up with a better title for this piece.  If I didn't know better, I would wonder if the Secret Service got involved...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/18/hypersonic_weapon_pacific_test/

F-35B Secondary Structural Cracks Slow Testing

The issue is hampering the plane's ability to perform vertical landings, but it would seem that there are still a number of test assets that can continue the work if need be.  Hopefully the pressure to stay on the sortie timeline won't lead to overlooking this kind of thing.  Some specifics are provided in the link below, but if you get to the end of it, you've got to wonder what kind of bug this Wheeler guy found in his cereal this morning.  Geez!

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/new-cracks-stop-vertical-landings-on-some-f-35bs-365059/

WSGI's Argus One UAV Testing

Looks like the primary focus is payload interface, although an upgraded propulsion system is also still undergoing some shakedown.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/argus-one-uav-completes-flight-testing-with-new-pod-bay-and-propulsion-system-in-preparation-for-upcoming-flight-testing-and-demonstrations-2011-11-17?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Army Hypersonic Weapon to Fly Soon?

Not a lot of detail in the link below, but it looks as though a flight test of what appears to be a "glide bomb" is coming soon.

http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20111114_8724.php

EAA To Catalog First Flights

This should be an interesting opportunity for those who will have access to the page.  Even though EAA First Flights will typically be "production flight test" since most completed projects are kits, there will also be a handful of no-kidding developmental flights as those who are flying a new design get airborne for the first time.  Should be a fun link!

http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?766-Tell-us-about-your-First-Flight!

F-35 Flight Test Stats

The link offers a lot of stats on numbers of flights for the various F-35 models, but there isn't a lot to chew on regarding test results.  I guess you have to figure things can't be going too badly if they are taking the Marine version aboard amphibious assault ships.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lockheed-martin-f-35-flight-test-progress-report-2011-11-04

e-Volo Multicopter makes First Flight

With a configuration suspiously similar to a recent Chinese design, this one apparently uses a bit more computer power to make it easier to operate.  Haven't heard much about the earlier, 8-motor version from a few months back.

http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-11-02_evolo.asp

B-2 Tries to Tumble the Gyros

Somebody has to be the first one to do everything.  Systems testing like this to confirm navigation performance can result in some surprises, and has done so with very recent-generation aircraft.  Looks like a B-2 trip to the pole went well this time.

http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123278172

Chinese B-747-400 Tests Biofuel Blend

Similar tests have already taken place in North America and Europe.  Looks like the trend is catching on, but I'm thinking that it will be a while before the results begin to bear much environmental fruit.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/2011/10/28/air-china-completes-first-test-flight-using-biofuel-xinhua/

F-35C Catapult Steam Ingestion

Bloggers at the site below captured intel that the tests went better than expected.  This brings the F-35 another step closer to IOC.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-16287.html

Airbus A400M Flight Test Status (With Corrected Link!)

The link below provides one of the best overall status reports I have seen on any ongoing flight test program.  As usual, Aviation Weeks sets a high bar.  You will find information on propulsion testing, with results as well as problem fixes.  There is information on status of icing and crosswind tests, even ground handling issues like loading and unloading.  This is a great read if you want to know where the airplane stands in its test program.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/awx/2011/10/24/awx_10_24_2011_p0-386021.xml&headline=A400M%20Looks%20Past%20Engine%20Issues%20To%202012%20Fielding

Piper Doesn't Like the VLJ Tea Leaves

Piper has been around since before sliced bread.  They usually know what they're doing.  If they don't like what they see for the future of the very light jet market, that's got to be a serious downer on others in the industry.  Guess we'll have to see what the other manufacturers do.

http://www.ainonline.com/?q=aviation-news/2011-10-24/piperjet-altaire-program-suspended-indefinitely

Boeing 747-8 Flutter Testing

"High AOA and Spin testing will win you the Kinchloe Award.  Flutter testing will get you killed."
(Rob Niewoehner and Mike Carriker, Associate Fellows - Society of Experimental Test Pilots)

The link below helps put a face on what it takes to prove that you've solved a flutter (or was it really limit cycle oscillation?) problem.  This is tense stuff.  Good on these guys!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2016583947_inpersonfitzgerald24.html

F-35B Completes Initial Sea Trials

The customer seems pleased with the results of sea trials conducted on the Wasp.  If the airplane can get the job done on an amphibious assault ship, you would think a super-carrier would be a piece of cake.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-24/pentagon-says-marine-f-35-model-successful-in-first-sea-trials.html

F-35B Sea Trials Going Well

Looks like the F-35B is exceeding pilot expectations during trials on an amphibious assault ship.  Although I spent three years flying the Hornet, I've never been a carrier guy, but it is my understanding that ships like the Wasp, where these trials are happening, are less than half the size of an aircraft carrier, so this has to be an exciting set of tests.

http://www.dailytech.com/F35B+STOVL+Now+Conducting+Sea+Trials/article23053.htm

Rolls Royce XWB Engine Hung on A380

The engine is intended for the A350.  The 380 is just serving as a testbed to get it ready.  Testing is supposed to start soon.

http://www.airlinesanddestinations.com/aircraft/airbus-installs-first-a350-xwb-flight-test-engine-on-its-a380-flying-testbed/

Europter AS350 Hybrid Powertrain?

Wow!  If they can get the electric motor and battery pack small enough this could be huge.  It looks as though initial flight tests give it a big "thumbs up" for enabling a much safer recovery after an engine failure in single-engine rotary-wing aircraft.  Let's see where this goes.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/eurocopter-targets-2012-for-hybrid-launch-decision-363574/

Scaled Composite's SpaceShipTwo Has an Interesting Drop Test

Sounds as though the team had to fall back on basic shuttlecock stability to recover from a departure while in the glide configuration.  The article attributes the problem to tail stall, but it is not clear if the stall was at positive or negative AOA on the tail.  The rapid downward pitch that is described would almost imply a negative AOA on the tail due to pitch rate, but it's hard to tell for sure from the story.

http://www.space.com/13297-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-test-flight-glitch.html

WW-II FW-190 Flies Again

Great work if you can get it!  How can an airplane that is almost 70 years ald and built by "the bad guys" still look so cool?

http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-10-13_wulf.asp

Northrop-Grumman X-47B Expands Envelope

The aircraft recently cleaned up and accomplished some performance testing with the gear up out at Edwards.  The Navy hopes to move on to Carrier Suit at Pax early next year.

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2011/10/11/unmanned-combat-air-system-test-aircraft-reaches-major-milestone/

Chengdu J-10 Fighter Lost?

It is always hard to seperate out the facts from fiction when a crash is "rumored".  Stay tuned, I guess.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90786/7613236.html

ICON LSA Ramping Up Testing

This one is news to me.  Perhaps some of you were already aware, but it looks like a "fit in your garage" Light Sport Aircraft is well on the way towards certification.  Apparently early tests uncovered some post-stall issues, so those are being worked.

http://explorersweb.com/air/news.php?id=20388

(Photo Credit: ICON)



Gulfstream G-650 Ramp is Busy!

They recently had 5 planes in the air at once.  Four were on developmental flight tests, the fifth was doing a production flight test.  It's not clear what all the developmental test objectives were.  Certainly avionics and systems were being looked at, and it seems that flight controls have nearly wrapped up.  One would also assume that tweaks made recently to improve high AOA and/or single engine handling qualities are also being refined.  Hopefully the economy will cooperate and this kind of investment will pay off for the bizjet industry soon.

http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/1010-G650.shtml

GE H80 Engine Testing Under Way

Looks as though the work is being done in Georgia on a KingAir.  The engine is expected to improve top-end performance, but it's not clear if fuel savings are expected.

http://corpjetfin.live.subhub.com/articles/Smyrna_Air_Center_starts_flight_test_427

Adding Your Thoughts to the Mix

So far I have kept this blog focused on active flight test of specific aircraft and avoided direct advertising.  That policy still stands.  There are no ads in the blog.  That said, even links like SETP and SFTE have items on their sites for purchase, so the blog has already been referring you to items for purchase, even though that is not the focus of the blog and I have neither asked nor accepted compensation for any referrals. 

Anyway, I've gotten feedback that Flight Test on any given day is not just about what is being tested but also about the test methods being used.  There are many testers out there who have ideas regarding how we could make what we do better and safer, and a couple of acquaintances have recently asked if I could link you to some of the things that they are researching.  So, without passing judgement on the sites one way or the other I decided to post their URLs.  The links will remain active for a limited time just to find out if you think this kind of feature would be valuable. 

Take a look for yourself, then send me your comments.  (I won't publish your comments unless you ask me to.)  If this seems to be a helpful change I may begin to rotate private web sites into the list of flight test related sites for your use.  Some of them may elect to charge for what they provide.  That is up to them.  Please let me know what you think!  Are these helpful?

F-35B Comes Aboard Ship STOVL

Katy, bar the door.  The F-35 flight test effort has moved into high gear and the plane is now doing the stuff it was built to do.  The pace of testing (sortie rate) is going well, but it is not clear how much of the flying is unplanned remedial stuff associated with some of the recent systems issues that have cropped up.  We're getting the sorties, how are we doing on the originally planned test matrix?

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/awx/2011/10/03/awx_10_03_2011_p0-377572.xml&headline=F-35B%20Lands%20On%20USMC%20Amphibious%20Ship&channel=defense

Shu Mansheng Hovercraft Gets Airborne

Not bad for a farmer with a grade-school education.  Be careful out there!

http://www.itworld.com/hardware/207605/man-creates-amazing-dangerous-flying-machine

NMSU Touts UAS Test Center Status

It looks as though New Mexico State University has sealed a deal to do some UAS testing for DARPA.  This is great, but they claim to be the only entity in the country that can test UAS in the national airspace system.  Sorry, but on the face of this it is not entirely clear what sets them apart from places like CIRPAS, or NASA's DFRC, the General Atomics development center in Southern California, or any number of other entities that - as far as I can tell - are already testing UAS in the NAS.  Maybe we'll get some clarification.

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/krwg/news/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1858907/Regional/NMSU.Las.Cruces.Announces.Major.Defense.Project

Eurocopter EC-145T2 Testing in U.S.

Colorado hosts more helicopter testing as Eurocopter fleshes out their test matrix of hot and high flight conditions.  (Nine test pilots on the trip?  Is that a typo?  Maybe "nine flight test personnel"?)

http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/ci_19009312

9/29 Worldwide Testing Update (Beta)

Thoughts on the contents of this table are welcome.  I may go to reverse chronological order of discovery, add the date that each item was inserted, and start dropping the older items.

WORLD-WIDE FLIGHT TEST & FLIGHT RESEARCH ACTIVITY

(Latest Update: September 29, 2011)

Courtesy: http://flighttesttoday.blogspot.com

ORG/LOC	AIRCRAFT	TEST OBJECTIVES	CONTACT-AFFILIATION	REMARKS
SUKH/ZHU	T-50	Systems, Propulsion	Sergei Bogdan-TP	For Indian AF?
TsKB/TsAGI	Rysachok	Initial certification	Yevgeny Gordeyev-M	5th plane added
BOE-M/WICH	B-52	Systems Testing	Scot Oathout-M	CONECT Datalink
CMC/XIAN	ARJ21	Icing, stalls	Wu Guanghui-M	Flutter complete?
LM/PXRVR	F-35C	Carrier Suitability	Fred Schenk
LM/EDWS	F-35A	Systems, Maturity	Laurie Quincy-M
AW/UK	AW-159	Weapons, Sea Trials	Mark Burnand-TP
SCA/MOJ	367 Bipod	Initial Airworthiness	Doug Shane-M	Twin Fuselage, roadable
NG/EDWS	RQ-4B	Systems	George Guerra-M
CSNA*/COLO	C-172	Electric Propulsion	Eric Snelgrove	*with Beyond Aviation
DMND/CNDA	D-Jet	Systems, Flight Ctrls	Mark Elwess-TP
SKRSK/CONN	S-76D	Avionics, Electrical	Tim Fox-M
UTacS/UK	Watchkpr	Systems	Maj Matt Moore-C
MNDR/AUS	C-NM5	Initial S&C, Perf	Anand Mahindra-M	Partnered w Australia
P&W/CNDA	B-747	1524G Engine Cert	Bob Saia-M	Partner with Bombardier
KWSK/JAPN	XC-2	Envelope Clearance	S. Wakisaka-C
PIPR/WCHTA	Piper-Jet		David Schwartz-TP
NASA/DFRC	F-18	Flight Controls Rsrch	Nils Larson-TP	Adaptive controls work
BOE-M/SEAT	P-8I	Flight Systems	Leland Wight-M	For Indian Navy

ABBREVIATIONS:

AUS – Australia

AW – Augusta-Westland

BRAZ – Brazil

EDWS – Edwards AFB

EMB – Embraer

BOE-M – Boeing Military

C - customer

CMC – Comac (China)

CNDA – Canada

COLO – Colorado

CONN – Connecticut

CSNA – Cessna

DFRC – Dryden Flight Research Center, Calif

DMND – Diamond Aircraft

JAPN – Japan

KWSK – Kawasaki

LM – Lockheed-Martin

LOC – location

M – manufacturer

MNDR – Mahindra Group

MOJ – Mojave

NG – Northrop-Grumman

ORG – organization

PIPR – Piper Aircraft

P&W – Pratt & Whitney

TP – test pilot

SCA – Scaled Composites

SEAT – Seattle, Wash

SKRSK – Sikorsky

SUKH – Sukhoi Aircraft

TsAGI – Russian Flight Research Institute, Samara

TsKb – Progress Aircraft

UK – United Kingdom

UTacS – UAV Tactical Systems / Elbit

WCHTA – Wichita, KS

XIAN – Xian, China

ZHU – Zhukovsky

Boeing P-8I Enters Flight Test for India

Basic airframe systems checks are done with.  (Straightforward since the plane is basically a late-generation 737.)  Now Boeing gets to actually install the black boxes in preparation for full-up systems testing.  The work is happening in Washington State.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/article2497218.ece

F-35 Oxygen Systems Returned to Flight

Although no insight is offered as to what the problem may have been, apparently a full-court press by the folks at Edwards has gotten the F-35 fleet back into the air.  The fact is that until every plane is equipped with automatic ground collision avoidance and unmonitored autoland capability, the oxygen system has to be just about as reliable as the main wing spar.  There is no way that an OBOGS will ever be as simple as a tank of LOX and some hoses, but if you make it redundant, then the system footprint (weight, power, volume...) becomes a problem.  Choices, choices...

http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123273870

Moller M400X Skycar to Fly Soon?

Looks like the Moller team is falling into the trap of making a major test flight into a media event, and in the process subjecting themselves to huge pressures to fly even if they see yellow flags waving.  Gents, please take a page from Scaled Composites' playbook.  Fly when you're ready and not a day sooner or later.  Unless things go REALLY well, or you are doing something that you have already done and just telling a little fib to your media guests, you are setting yourselves up for embarassment or worse.  (And BTW, the fib would backfire too eventually.)

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?storyid={e96969f5-0971-492d-993a-1920477c8e89}

Sukhoi Su-35 Tests Ongoing

Apparently S&C and propulsion have been completed and now the plane is in systems testing, but that is not totally clear from the article in the link.  If the plane achieves some of the specs that company press releases suggest, it could be a worthy opponent for most current generation potential adversaries.  No word on its stealth characteristics.

http://www.sukhoi.org/eng/news/company/?id=4301

Flight Test Planning - A New Approach?

"...a paradoxical scarcity of insight in a seemingly endless ocean of information..."

I found this intriguing quote in a short white-paper written by a test pilot acquaintance.  The author is looking for ways to make us better at what we do, but admits that the current draft may take more than one read to properly digest.  I'm still working on it myself.  Stay tuned for more information.

Rolls-Royce AE 3700H Engine for Global Hawk Matures

You may recall a comment in an earlier post that there was room for imporvement in Global Hawk propulsion systems.  Looks like the improvements are coming soon.

http://www.azorobotics.com/news.aspx?newsID=2075

F-35 Flight Test Update

The link below has a good rundown of where the project is at this point.  There have been some hiccups, some self-inflicted, but most either unavoidable or normal growing pains.  Economic forecasts don't leave a lot of room for optimism regarding the size of the eventual buys.  At a minimum I've got to believe they will be stretched out by some customers.  But the 2012 elections are the real wild card.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lockheed-martin-f-35-flight-test-progress-report-2011-09-20

NASA F-18 Adaptive Controls Research

I finally get to tell you a little about this because I finally found something in the open literature.  (It was one of my projects before I left NASA, so I did not feel I could share anything that had not been formally released.)  The work has been focused on various approaches to self-healing flight controls.  Very interesting stuff!

http://www.setp.org/55th-sb-abstracts/flight-test-approach-and-risk-mitigation-of-the-full-scale-advanced-systems-testbed-for-adaptive-controls-research.html

Kawasaki XC-2 Testing Accelerates

A tactical transport that is bigger, faster, and with better range than a C-130?  Sounds too good to be true!  Word is that testing is progressing well, with a second prototype added this past March.  Propulsion, flying qualities, performance, and systems testing are apparently all under way.

http://www.setp.org/55th-sb-abstracts/the-developmental-and-initial-operational-tests-of-the-next-generation-transport-xc-2.html

(Photo Credit: China Daily)



Augusta-Westland AW-159 Headed to Sea?

Performance testing seems to have mostly wound up, with only a few tens of test hours still unflown, mostly to focus on stores certification and sea trials, it would seem.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/09/15/362086/dsei-lynx-wildcat-aces-operating-trials.html

Embry-Riddle Eco Eagle Goes Electric

I love this kind of project, where students pull together something that may point the way to the future.  The plane appears to be based on a motorglider airframe.  KUDOs guys!

http://eponline.com/articles/2011/09/15/new-propulsion-design-challenges-current-efficiencies-of-light-airplanes.aspx

Why This Blog?

OKAY...

I started this blog in an effort to enable folks who were in various stages of test planning or test execution to be aware of others who might be able to help them test safely.  Yes, I recognize that many "company" flight test processes and techniques are close-hold and/or proprietary.  It is also obvious that many will have zero interest in broadcasting their test results.  On the other hand, for the same reason that organizations like SETP, SFTE, and the Flight Test Safety Committee hold large meetings to discuss tests in progress, it is my hope that this could be another resource where people (who may not belong to those organizations) could begin to tap into the flow of expertise.  If you are planning a test and are NOT affiliated with any of these organizations, I strongly urge you to consider joining.  They can save your program... and maybe your life.

If you are on a test program and do not ever see it mentioned here, remember that everything I find is via some kind of search engine.  These engines generally key on words in electronic press releases or news reports.  This is not a Justin Beiber blog that gets thousands of hits a day, but it IS getting hundreds per week.  If you would like at least a passing mention, suggest to your PR folks that they issue an occasional press-release, otherwise you will remain under our radar.

Thanks for checking in!

Pratt PW 1524G Geared Turbofan

The geared turbofan is seen by a lot of people, including NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, as a highly promising approach to improving specific fuel consumption.  Looks like P&W is happy so far with the engine they hope will make Bombardier's C-Series possible.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/09/15/362108/pw-completes-first-pw1524g-flight-test-programme.html

World-Wide Flight Test Activity Update

WORLD-WIDE FLIGHT TEST & FLIGHT RESEARCH ACTIVITY

(Latest Update: September 14, 2011)

Courtesy: http://flighttesttoday.blogspot.com

ORG/LOC	AIRCRAFT	TEST OBJECTIVES	CONTACT-AFFILIATION	REMARKS
SUKH/ZHU	T-50	Systems, Propulsion	Sergei Bogdan-TP	For Indian AF?
TsKB/TsAGI	Rysachok	Initial certification	Yevgeny Gordeyev-M	5th plane added
BOE-M/WICH	B-52	Systems Testing	Scot Oathout-M	CONECT Datalink
CMC/XIAN	ARJ21	Icing, stalls	Wu Guanghui-M	Flutter complete?
LM/PXRVR	F-35C	Carrier Suitability	Fred Schenk
LM/EDWS	F-35A	Systems, Maturity	Laurie Quincy-M
AW/	AW-159	Performance	Mark Burnand-TP
SCA/MOJ	367 Bipod	Initial Airworthiness	Doug Shane-M	Twin Fuselage, roadable
NG/EDWS	RQ-4B	Systems	George Guerra-M
CSNA*/COLO	C-172	Electric Propulsion	Eric Snelgrove	*with Beyond Aviation
DMND/CNDA	D-Jet	Systems, Flight Ctrls	Mark Elwess-TP
SKRSK/CONN	S-76D	Avionics, Electrical	Tim Fox-M
UTacS/UK	Wtchkpr	Systems	Maj Matt Moore-C
MNDR/AUS	C-NM5	Initial S&C, Perf	Anand Mahindra-M	Partnered w Australia

ABBREVIATIONS:

AUS – Australia

AW – Augusta-Westland

BRAZ – Brazil

EDWS – Edwards AFB

EMB – Embraer

BOE-M – Boeing Military

C - customer

CMC – Comac (China)

CNDA – Canada

COLO – Colorado

CONN – Connecticut

CSNA – Cessna

DMND – Diamond Aircraft

LM – Lockheed-Martin

LOC – location

M – manufacturer

MNDR – Mahindra Group

MOJ – Mojave

NG – Northrop-Grumman

ORG – organization

TP – test pilot

SCA – Scaled Composites

SKRSK – Sikorsky

SUKH – Sukhoi Aircraft

TsAGI – Russian Flight Research Institute, Samara

TsKb – Progress Aircraft

UK – United Kingdom

UTacS – UAV Tactical Systems / Elbit

XIAN – Xian, China

ZHU – Zhukovsky