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