USAF-Boeing-Pratt&Whitney X-51 Flight Control Failure?

The first substantial reports from yesterday's mach-6 attempt point at a flight control structural failure as the cause of a lost X-51.  So far I haven't seen anything official from USAF.  Leave it to AvWeek to have the first snippet of information.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3A364ef945-4d56-499f-9359-f205eca3e0bf

Lockheed-Martin F-35B Weapons Separation Tests Begin

The article at the link below doesn't mention where the weapon release test took place, but these are typically done at China Lake NAS just north of Edwards AFB in Central California.  The data are being reviewed at Pax River, so it may have taken place there instead.  What I find most interesting about this test is that the weapon used in this first-ever F-35 bomb release was so big.  The military staple over the last 30 years has been the 500-pound Mk-82, including many guided and unguided variants.  The SDB, as smaller and lighter weapon, was specifically designed for internal carriage in stealth aircraft like the F-35.  I've got to wonder what motivated the Navy to start by clearing a 1000-pounder.  There's a message here, but I'm not sure what it is.  If I remember correctly, the 1000-pound weapon was a favorite of the F-117.  Are we going back to that?  Any theories?

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/08/12/4176530/f-35-drops-its-first-test-bomb.html

Northrop-Grumman LEMV Makes Maiden Flight in Manned Mode

Another "optionally piloted" vehicle progresses forward.  In my opinion, any airship-based intelligence gatherer will be somewhat of a gamble.  It will do a great job of supplementing intelligence from other sources, but it is awfully big and awfully slow.  Not only that, if it can see you, then you can see it, and a multitude of recent conflicts have proven that if unfriendlies have any weapons at all, some of them will be MANPAD surface-to-air systems.  This guy will need a lot of self-protection systems.

http://blog.al.com/huntsville-times-business/2012/08/armys_giant_unblinking_eye_air.html

NASA Boeing X-48C Makes Maiden Flight

While the articles at the links below doesn't provide many details regarding the test objectives, flights at a similar point in the X-48B test program focused on controllability in the heart of the flight envelope.  The two planes look a lot alike, but the C goes with only two engines and a more conventional "Bonanza-style" V-tail.  For you historically-minded readers, can anyone tell me when the last (unclassified) manned X-Plane flew and what its designation was?  Most recent "X's" have been UAVs.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57488507-76/nasas-futuristic-x-48c-hybrid-wing-body-plane-takes-flight/

http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1112671679/nasa-x-48c-flight-080812/

Aurora and Rockwell Collins Team for Automated Takeoff and Landing

Optionally-piloted vehicles are still looking for their niche, but I suspect that they will prove their value in the long term.  They will allow easy transition from the "Triple-D" set of UAV missions (anything that is dull, dirty, or seriously dangerous) and back to the manned mode for other missions without needing a second aircraft on the ramp.

http://www.aviation.ca/2012080712286/news/international/us/12286-rockwell-collins-autopilot-performs-successfully-during-aurora-centaurs-first-fully-autonomous-takeoff-and-landing-test-flight

EAA Homebuilt Flight Test Forum

There is an entire spectrum of flight test, and most of what is going on never captures public attention.  Sounds like this forum was an excellent chance to get tips from power-hitters in the game.

http://www.airventure.org/news/2012/120725_paul-poberezny-hosts-test-pilot-all-stars.html

Lockheed-Martin F-35B to Begin Airstart Tests at Edwards

For those SoCal baby-boomers among the readers, this one is an "E-Ticket"!  Shutting down your only engine in what is really about a quarter-billion dollar test aircraft - in the hope that you'll be able to get is started again - is right at the top of the list of white-knuckled things to do!  I suspect the folks in the control room will be even more nervous than the pilot.  The huge lakebeds at Edwards make the Antelope Valley the perfect place to do this kind of stuff, no matter who the ultimate users will be.  Have fun guys!  Practice those SFOs!

http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123311441

FOTC Long-ESA Sets Battery Speed Recorde

We'll have to watch to see where this concept goes.  Yates' issue with the early return is not unusual, because despite the battery level indicator that you have on your laptop, it is not easy to figure out how much energy is really left in most batteries.  Applications like motor vehicle or computer can simply be conservative, recognizing that there is ample weight budget for the unused energy, but airborne applications don't want to waste weight.  They need a more precise evaluation of energy remaining.  Last time I checked, the folks at NASA Dryden, right up the road from these flights, were working on a technology to do that.  Meanwhile, what's all this about changing the batteries in flight?

http://phys.org/news/2012-07-record-setting-electric-airplane-mph-video.html

F-15E Teams with Raytheon to Place SDB onto Moving Target

This is the fun stuff!  The small diameter bomb is important because it gives a better air-to-ground capability while retaining stealth through internal carriage.  But any bomb is only as good as the guidance system that gets it to the target, whether internal to the delivery vehicle (CCIP and similar systems) or carried on-board the weapon (like GPS) or a combination (like seeker/laser designator).  A multi-mode seeker like this one, if small enough, is a killer.  Great stuff!

(Photo Credit: shephardmedia.com)

http://azstarnet.com/business/local/raytheon-guided-bomb-scores-hit-in-first-flight-test/article_f4c6923c-d148-11e1-93c1-0019bb2963f4.html

Redstone Arsenal Upgrading Army Flight Test Support Fleet

After last year's move (from Ft Rucker, I believe) the Aviation Flight Test Directorate continues to refine the facilities and resources at Redstone.

http://blog.al.com/huntsville-times-business/2012/07/army_fields_three_uh-72a_lakot.html

Terrafugia Transition Moves into Road Tests

Given the order backlog, it would seem that Terrafugia's strategy of getting the initial flight trials into the books early is working.  This lets them make some credible promises to prospective buyers regarding performance. At this point, I've got to believe that road tests will be anti-climactic.  What we are really waiting for now is reliability stats, but we won't get those until a bunch are on the road (or in the air).  The vehicle is starting to look unstoppable.  The real question is whether it will sell enough to make a profit.  My opinion: If you watch the total bizjet market as the economy thaws, there is probably a multiplier that you could use to predict Transition sales.  Anyone want to guess the multiplier?

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/flying-car-2012-08-03

Northrop-Grumman X-47B Now at Pax River

The recent move of this UAV to the busy airspace around the Navy's test base at Pax River is a strong vote of confidence in the guidance and control systems of the vehicle.  UAVs have become almost commonplace in the airspace over the USAF test facility at Edwards AFB in California's Mojave Desert - the X-47 has already flown in that area - but that airspace is very isolated.  The Eastern Seaboard is very densely populated with air traffic.  This transition to Pax says that we have a lot of faith in the X-47s young systems.

http://www.azorobotics.com/news.aspx?newsID=3063