F-35 Remains in the News

There have been a number of recent releases on the subject of F-35 captive carry missions.  This is when the aircraft is loaded with weapons (often dummies) not for release, but to ensure that the plane can safely carry them in the flight regimes of interest.  Next step is to make the live versions of these weapons talk to the avionics, then jettison them safely, then actually employ them in operationally-relevant flight conditions.  Just carrying them around doesn't sound very sexy, but some of the biggest surprises can happen when you examine the plane's behavior with an asymmetric load (weapons on only one side of the plane, as if you have used one and still have not used the other).  These can be wild rides.  Have fun guys!

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2012/02/military-f-35-lockheed-readies-aggressive-test-schedule-022312d/

F-35 Flight Test Synopsis

The brief article at the link below provides a quick listing of recent flight test milestones that the program has reached.  Not a lot of results are provided, as you might expect for a military program, but it does a fair job of letting you know what the team has been working on.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lockheed-martin-f-35-flight-test-and-production-progress-report-2012-02-23

Rolls-Royce Trent XWB Engine Flies on A380

The article at the link below is heavy with chest-pounding, but the fact is that the engine has made its first flight and the results look promising.  That said, it sure seems that an A380 is an awful lot of airplane for the test program.  It would interesting to find out how the business case worked out to make that plane the most economical.

http://www.4-traders.com/ROLLS-ROYCE-HOLDING-PLC-4004084/news/ROLLS-ROYCE-HOLDING-PLC-Rolls-Royce-Trent-XWB-completes-first-test-flight-14030353/

NAVAIR Earns Top Navy Safety Honors

When a test organization stands out as one of the safest flight units in the Navy, it really says something about their approach to accomplishing a tough mission.  Congrats!

http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/26279

Gulfstream G280 Moves Closer to Certification

A good rundown of recent flight test results is given at the link below.  The article is largely marketing, since it focuses primarily on performance advances, but it still gives a picture of how the process has been handled recently.

http://avstop.com/news_february_2012/gulfstream_g280_to_receive_type_certification_this_year.htm

AFFTC 416th Testers go to Red Flag

This is atypical, but I am certainly glad to see that it is happening.  The closer the "DT" (developmental test) guys can get to the front lines to clear new systems, the more ready the systems will be for users down the road.  Exercises like Red Flag stretch pilots, planes and maintainers right to the limit and will result in more robust systems.  Good stuff!

http://www.afmc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123289954

Icon A5 Amphibian Spin Testing

It looks as though tiny Icon may have scored a worldwide first with the A5.  So far testing seems to show that the plane can meet or beat FAA requirements for an LSA to be certified as spin resistant.  The article at the link below provides a great rundown of what they have done and how they managed to do it.  The key seems to be ensuring that the tips stall well after the center section.  What this does to drag isn't completely clear, but a good read nonetheless.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/02/icon-aircraft-receives-first-ever-spin-resistant-seal-of-approval/

Mitsubishi MRJ-90 First Flight to be Delayed?

It's not clear from the information in the link exactly how much delay is anticipated, but there is a bit of gouge near the end of the article regarding how many planes will eventually be involved in the test program.  Historically, the track record of any major development project at the 15% completion point will tell you how they will fall on the schedule at completion: if they are behind schedule at 15%, they will STAY behind schedule.  Not a great start, although the company remains optimistic.

http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/singapore-air-show/2012-02-15/fresh-delay-mrj

China's CAIH AC313 Into Cold Weather Testing

The China Aviation Industrial Helicopter company is hoping to ramp this 60,000+ pound workhorse up to a pretty significant level of production, but right now they are finishing up development with cold-weather trials.

http://english.cri.cn/6909/2012/02/13/2724s680648.htm

(Photo credit: bbs.chinadaily.com.cn)



Northrop-Grumman BAC-111 Testing F-35 Sensors

If it is accurate, the article at the link below gives a pretty good update on the F-35 APG-81 radar as well as the AAQ-37 IR sensor suite.  They are being put through their paces as part of a Navy exercise on-board the BAC-111 systems test aircraft.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/northrop-grumman-participating-in-bold-alligator-maritime-exercise-with-f-35-sensors-2012-02-06?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Lockheed-Martin Pays for Early F-35 Production Ramp-up

Programs never go exactly as planned, so Monday-morning-quarterbacking is kind of pointless, but as a career DT guy, I've got to say that there is a reason that most programs are laid out with a large serving of developmental testing before production ramps up.  Hopefully most of the growing pains are behind them and the added costs of structural retrofits will be less than the money saved by early production.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=defense&id=news/awx/2012/02/06/awx_02_06_2012_p0-421701.xml

GEnx PIP-2 Engine Flies on Company B-747

In the never-ending hunt for just a little bit more efficiency, GE continues to upgrade its flagship high-bypass line of engines.  Looks as though they hope to extract a little more energy from the core exhaust to send it to the fan by upgrading the low pressure turbines.  Given the typical commercial airline profit margins, even a 1.4% improvement in SFC is probably worth it.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/ge-flies-second-upgrade-package-for-787-engine-367680/

IAI Heron TP Goes Down During Test

Details are scarce on the loss of this UAV.  It would seem that the plane was doing systems testing, which means that this crash could be even more expensive than you might think, since the on board surveillance systems are often half the cost of an operational UAV (or more).  Details should begin to filter out.  Keep in mind that this is NOT a small aircraft.  Ever flown on a B-737?  The Heron has the same wingspan.

http://www.jpost.com/VideoArticles/Video/Article.aspx?id=255572