Test Pilot Students are Doing the Real Thing

An interesting story at the link below describes the kind of real-world flight tests that a recent class of Test Pilot School students performed.  This is not just fluff.  As a former Deputy Commandant of the USAF Test Pilot School, I can tell you that the services are wringing every last dollar out of their training by putting them to work answering real-world questions while they train.  An interesting list of projects is provided in the article, and while the risk is generally low, it is NOT zero.

http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123330597

UPDATE: Virgin Galactic / Scaled Composites SpaceShipTwo Now Configured for Boosted Flight

SpaceShipTwo is back in the air.  Judging from the story at the second link, it looks like the plane has had an engine installed along with associated hardware, to confirm the aerodynamics and center of gravity.  Oddly, an FAA N-number inquiry still lists the craft as a glider, which is normal for a motorglider, but (if you want to get technical) it should also list engine type for when it is dropped as a motorglider for a powered flight.  In any case, it looks as though we are getting close to lighting that bad-boy off, so stay tuned!

http://www.virgingalactic.com/news/item/spaceshiptwo-completes-first-glide-in-powered-flight-configuration/

http://www.space.com/18994-virgin-galactic-spaceshiptwo-flight-test.html

A few more details are offered at this third link.  Apparently the team is looking at a modified approach and landing profile.  2013 light-off?

http://zeenews.india.com/news/space/virgin-galactic-s-spaceshiptwo-passes-key-flight-test_818506.html

Boeing Bakes Potatoes... Very Slowly

This story has almost nothing to do with flight test, but I couldn't resist.

(Boeing Photo, courtesy of CNN)

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/19/travel/potatoes-wireless/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+(RSS%3A+Top+Stories)

NASA Dryden Research F-18 Advances Aero Efficiency

The airlines are so desparate for fuel savings that aerodynamic changes to airframes that result in only 1 or 2 percent fuel savings are considered worthwhile investments.  But given that more and more aircraft are being fitted with fly-by-wire flight controls, this ongoing work at Dryden could open the door to those kinds of efficiency improvements by only changing a few ones and zeroes in the flight control computers.  This stuff won't get you a Kinchloe, but it will be very exciting to the ultimate customer.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/12/nasa-f18-fuel-burn-research/

Diamond DA-42 Fly-By-Wire?

So far I haven't found any details on the results of these tests, but reports are that Diamond has already flown a fly-by-wire version of their DA-42 twin and has set their sights on certification.  Just like Embraer (discussed in an earlier post) I think this could cause a major paradigm-shift across the industry.  Let's see where it goes!

(Photo courtesy golfhotelwhiskey.com)



http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/diamond-tests-fly-by-wire-on-da42-380035/

Airbus A400M May Reach IOC in Early 2013

After 300+ hours and over 50 sorties in the "ilities" phase of testing (reliability, supportability, deployability, maintainability, etc) it looks as though the Grizzly has gotten over its growing pains in the area of propulsion.  Counter-rotating props on both wings?  Interesting.

http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/mil-log/a400m-completes-fr-flight-test-phase/

Northrop-Grumman X-47B UAV Inches Toward Carrier Trials

It turns out that the team has just completed the initial ground-based catapult launches.

http://www.militaryaerospace.com/articles/2012/12/x47b-drone-catapult.html

Sikorsky Delivers CH-53K GVT Vehicle

Sikorsky has delivered the first prototype, a ground test article, to the test team.  While it will probably never get airborne, its arrival is still a major adrenaline rush for the team, because it says "This is real!"  The program is no longer vaporware, and the test team will certainly be crawling all over this GVT bird as they prepare for flight test.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sikorsky-delivers-first-ch-53k-prototype-heavy-lift-helicopter-to-flight-test-team-2012-12-04

Dassault Neuron UAV makes Maiden Flight

I guess this one is intended as a stealth technology demonstrator, and yes, it looks very familiar.  But like the DC-8 and the B-707, the mission and the available technology together pretty much dictate the ultimate configuration.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/First-European-Stealth-Drone-Makes-Test-Flight-311569.shtml

Northrop-Grumman X-47B Prepares for Shipboard Trials

While this won't be the first unmanned aircraft to operate from a carrier, this one is starting to get pretty big, and will be coming aboard with a lot more kinetic energy that many previous UAVs.  It should be exciting since it will be autonomous.  The good news is that ground trials must have shown pretty stable behavior to make the team feel ready to hoist it on-board ship.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/20197640/combat-drone-takes-first-test-flight-off-aircraft-carrier

Augusta-Westland Adds third AW169 test Aircraft

I've never been a rotary-wing tester, but with two aircraft flying since this past summer, 100 hours total time to date feels a little low to me unless there have been some technical surprises.  Any of you rotary-wing guys out there have a different take?

http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/rotorhub/aw169-continues-successful-flight-test-programme/