New Generators, Old Servicing Procedure Led to F-35 Grounding

Apparently the F-35 grounding was the result of generator oil over-servicing.  They are back in the air, as reported last week on multiple outlets.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=6066204&c=AIR&s=TOP

Electric Powered First Flight of Elektra One

Built and tested in Germany, the manufacturers hope to evolve the prototype into a retractable LSA  for export to the US. (Can they do that?)  It is a long stretch from the demonstrated 30 minutes to the target 3 hour endurance, and I'll be impressed if they can hit the target price quoted in this article.

http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2011/110325german_electric_airplane_completes_first_flight.html

Tu-204SM Flight Test Focus is on Flight Controls and Landing Systems

This was 10 days ago, but only just found the information.  The plane is roughly equivalent to the Boeing 757 and has been in operation for quite a while.  The new systems under test on the SM are intended to bring it in line with other current-generation aircraft.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/24/354726/tupolev-moves-ahead-with-tu-204sm-test-flight-programme.html

X-51 Wave Rider to Launch Tomorrow?

If things go according to plan, the vehicle will accelerate past Mach 6 soon.  I guess we'll see.  FYI, the link below has some surprising details regarding previous test results as well as vehicle construction techniques.  If I read them correctly, the vehicle subsystems are actually inside the fuel tank!  Really?  I guess that is one way to keep things cool...

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/03/modified-x-51a-waverider-ready-for-next.html

Gulfstream's G-250 Bizjet In icing tests

Reports are that the plane performed well even after 50 minutes of ice buildup.  Natural icing can lead to surprises, but the plane appears to have cleared this hurdle on the way to certification.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/22/354640/gulfstream-g250-completes-icing-testing.html

Sukhoi's 5th Generation Fighter Tests Add Second Airframe

Looks like things are ramping up.  Flight controls appear to be the current focus.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-15300.html

Feuerstein and Stemer Take 747-8I on Maiden Flight

All reports so far are that things went well.  We'll keep watching for more details.

http://www.fox13now.com/news/nationworld/sns-rt-news-us-boeing-747tre72j3b1-20110320,0,21618.story

Raptor Makes Biofuel Flight

With oil prices having nowhere to go but up in the long-term, there was probably no way around this.

http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123247629

787-I Avionics Systems Testing goes Cyber

There was a time when we were pretty sure that a passenger couldn't take control of the plane without leaving their seat.  Boeing now faces the difficult challenge of proving that such a thing is still impossible.


http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/18/354546/747-8-must-prevent-inadvertent-or-malicious-interference-with-flight-critical.html

Like it or not... This is "Flight Test Today"

Somebody's got to do it, but... dang!  Hopefully he gets to stay flight current as well.  Anyone from USAF TPS have a grip on how this curriculum works?  He does get to fly some manned aircraft while he's there, doesn't he?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8389190/US-appoints-first-drone-test-pilot.html

Flight Controls seem to be Focus of Recent X-47 Tests

With three sorties under the team's belt, the X-47B test program appears to be hitting its stride.  So far the efforts seem to be  focused on basic flight maneuvers.  Given recent issues with software development on other projects, it will be interesting to see how the mission phase goes.  Consider this: the deck of a typical carrier is a busy and crowded place.  It won't just be the X-47 that is depending on flawless software when the plane is approaching a trap.  It will be all the airplanes and all the people on that deck.  Should be interesting!

http://www.tradershuddle.com/20110317186724/globenewswire/Photo-Release-Northrop-Grumman-U.S.-Navy-Complete-Second-Third-Flights-of-X-47B-Unmanned-Combat-Air-System.html

Another Player in the Aerial Tanker Market

Does this surprise anyone else?  It looks like Iberia had already completed development and flight test of a tanker for Saudi Arabia based on the A-330.  All this was apparently happening while the EADS and Boeing fight for the USAF tanker contract provided a distraction.  If I remember correctly, the Canadians did something similar with a Boeing 707 airframe over 25 years ago.

http://finchannel.com/news_flash/Travel_Biz_News/83223_Iberia_converts_passenger_aircraft_into_mid-air_refuelling_tanker/

Famous Last Words are still: "Hey... It's only software."

The F-35 will have to process a lot of information to get the mission done.  Lot's of data, plus lots of processing, equals lots of code.  I believe it was a guy named Paul Strassmann who long ago said "Complex software systems usually don't work.  When they do, it is because they were based on SIMPLE systems that worked!"  Unfortunately, that's not always an option.   Get comfortable.  This could be a while.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-15/lockheed-f-35-jet-faces-significant-software-delays-gao-says.html

747-8I First Flight this coming Sunday?

Apperently that's the plan.  Seems the Seattle folks are pretty busy these days!

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/14/354335/boeing-confirms-20-march-target-for-747-8i-first-flight.html

Another Waverider flight coming soon?

Looks like Mach 5 isn't enough for the X-51 team.  They're making noises about another flight in the next few months.  We'll keep an eye out.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/business/air-force-planning-second-waverider-hypersonic-test-flight-1107239.html

Last Year's Advanced Collision Avoidance Tests Receive Kudos

Last year a combined team of NASA, USAF, and others showed that an airplane can be programmed to refuse to allow itself to be flown into the ground.  This isn't really new.  What IS new is that the system did it with essentially ZERO nuisance fly-ups!  This is a big deal, because that means pilots will leave the system engaged.  It will actually be operating when they need it instead of in stand-by.  Last week the work was honored with an Aviation Week Laurel Award.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/Features/ACAT_team_nominated.html

On-Orbit Soyuz Flight Test to Start at Undocking

Looks like the return crew on-board Soyuz could be in for a rough ride if they can't diagnose and correct some serious computer issues.  "Fly-fix-fly..."  Guess we'll know more by Wednesday.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/space-flight/digital-soyuz-return-could-be-rocky

Onex First Flight

This happened a few weeks ago, but I just ran across it. 
http://www.eaa.org/news/2011/2011-01-28_OnexFirstFlight.asp

I think some of the same people flew a similar model back in December that was all-electric.
http://www.eaa.ca/news/2010/2010-12-03_Waiex_First2.asp

Double Failure on F-35A Variant Causes Emergency Recovery

There is no way to get through an entire test program without seeing a few of these.  (Witness the in-flight fire on Boeing's 787.)  That said, when you've only got one engine and electronic flight controls, it gets your attention when both are threatened by cascading failures.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/11/354281/in-flight-failure-leads-to-f-35-grounding.html

UAVs Moving Closer to Automated Air Refueling?

It looks like a NASA Global Hawk and the Northrop-Grumman/Scaled Composites Proteus tucked it in pretty close a few weeks ago, and did it at very high altitudes.  DARPA always has something interesting going on.  This is another great example.

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=215774

An-148 Looks Like In-flight Breakup

(Photo by Aviant)

Either pilot error or perhaps a pitot-static malfunction of some kind.  A lot is still conjecture.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/09/354143/crashed-an-148-broke-up-after-being-pushed-beyond-limits.html

F-35C Sees Mach 1 in the Rear-View Mirror

The C-Model (Navy Carrier version) is eventually expected to push past Mach 1.6.  Steady as she goes...

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/03/navy-supersonic-f35c-first-flight-030711w/

Typhoon Drops First Precision-Guided Paveway IV

Pilot Nat Makepeace exercised new BAE avionics systems to chalk up the test point.

http://www.sify.com/finance/bae-systems-achieves-major-capability-milestone-on-typhoon-news-default-ldhuakghbdb.html

T-50 Spends 44 minutes testing flight controls and propulsion

The pace is picking up for the new Sukhoi aircraft.  Maybe markets will open as economic problems are solved.

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2011/03/07/Sukhoi-flies-second-T-50-prototype/UPI-24501299499140/

X-37 To Stay on-orbit for Nine Months?

What do you do on orbit for nine months and then come home?  (I know, silly question!)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/8365623/Secret-US-space-mission-launches.html

Losing a Flight Test An-148 is a Serious Blow

I guess we will have to wait for details on this.  As soon as I find something I will post it.  Does anyone have any gouge?  What happened?

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/05/353959/an-148-crashes-in-russia-on-test-flight-ministry.html

Apparently the plane has been ordered by the Emergency Situations Ministry, a bit akin to FEMA perhaps?

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/03/05/353960/crashed-an-148-was-under-test-for-myanmar-export.html

SoCal Flying Engine Testbed to Aid GE

The Antelope Valley in Southern California lays valid claim to being a flight-test Mecca, but the Victor Valley, just an hour to the east, is no slouch either.  It will be good to see another plane in the skies over the Mojave.  Things have been a little slow.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/launches-26209-phase-scla.html

F-35 Production Flights are Under Way

Gosh, that's got to feel good.  It has been a long slog getting here!

http://www.f-16.net/news_article4301.html

1000 B-787 Test Flights!

To be honest, I'm not sure if this is good news or bad.  How many flights should you have before you start delivering planes?  How many did the 747 have?  What about the A-320?

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boeing-completes-1000th-787-flight-116829453.html

Al Norman Takes Helm of Lockheed F-35

Things are getting pretty busy at F-35.  Beesley is almost a flight test icon, so being selected to replace him is no small compliment and no small challenge!

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lockheed-martin-f-35-program-names-new-chief-test-pilot-116815458.html

"For Instance", Great UAV Video Clip...

... and some pretty fair flying too!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/17/hummingbird_flies/

Not a "Real" Test Pilot?

Roy, as a founding member of S.C.U.M., and with UAVs taking on so many hot roles these days, you may want to do a mind-meld with Billie some time.

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20110218.aspx

Can Boeing Really Handle 3 Simultaneous Certification Programs?

Maybe things are starting to come together now after recent delays!  Guess we'll see...

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/02/17/353314/boeing-faces-three-simultaneous-certification-campaigns.html

First Navy F-35C Pilot is in the History Books

Cmdr Eric "Magic" Buus put the plane through its paces in mid February in prep for some structural loads testing.  Reports are that the flight went very smoothly.  We'll keep an eye out as those tests progress.

http://www.wavy.com/dpp/military/Navy-completes-first-F-35C-test-flight

Gulfstream's G650 Makes 0.91 IMN Test Flight

Gulfstream VP Pres Henne rode with the test crew as they set an impressive pace in the new business aircraft not long ago.

http://australianaviation.com.au/2011/02/g650-completes-high-speed-cruise-from-coast-to-coast/

India's Flight Testers Get Busy

It's always gratifying when the media picks up on what we're doing.  This is a short article about Wing Commander Pranjal Singh and a recent flight test in the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/mentheir-flying-machine/424867/