SpaceShipTwo Lights the Torch

They topped out at 55,000 feet and 1.2 Mach.  Details at the link below.

http://spaceref.biz/2013/04/first-rocket-powered-flight-of-spaceshiptwo.html

62 miles by Christmas?

Toronto and UMD Human-Helicopter Teams Near Prize

This one is too close to call!  The Toronto team has put on an amazing come-from-behind push in this quest to win the $250,000 Sikorsky Prize, but the Maryland team also seems to have some kick left as they both approach the finish line.  This is where flight test, engineering, creativity, and just plain guts all come together.  As a guy who spent 3-years of my Air Force career on exchange with the Canadians at the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment in Alberta, I can truly root for both teams.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324743704578444571375978296.html#articleTabs%3Dvideo

Lockheed-Martin F-35 Tests Northrop-Grumman Data-Link

While this rather inocuous-sounding test doesn't generate a lot of heart-pounding excitement in the airplane, the operational significance of this system can't be over-stated.  Waveform? Multiples of range?  What's that all about?  After you take a look at the short story at the link below, consider this... Finding ground or airborne targets often uses on-board radar, but the only way stealth has any value is if the stealthy aircraft hasn't already given away its position with emissions.  If I have a low-probability-of-intercept waveform, something that only shows up as a signal after a lot of processing, and I can send that signal to another aircraft that is a long way off, then the only guy who has to go anywhere near the target is the guy who has never emitted.  While search radars are trying to find the guy who hit them with airborne radar, the undetected, non-emitting plane comes in from a completely different direction and cleans their clocks.  This test is NOT a small deal.

http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/military/F-35-Data-Link-Completes-Flight-Test_79067.html

SPA Panther Makes Successful First Flight

This innovative design is intended to cross the divide between standard and LSA categories, but its profile is a lot like the popular RV series of aircraft.  Getting airborne on that very first flight of a new design has got to be a rush, but being a near dead-ringer for a platform with well-respected flying characteristics should help.  Congrats!

http://www.eaa.org/news/2013/2013-04-10_panther-sport-prototype-completes-first-flight.asp

Boeing-Cranfield X-48C Completes NASA Test Program

Commercial aviation is facing a lot of challenges, not the least of which are increasinig fuel costs and urban encroachment on airports.  The X-48 series of aircraft have been testing technologies to help with both of these problems, and they are pretty cool looking as well.

(Photo Credit: NASA)

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2013/apr/HQ_13-105_X-48C_Final_Flight.html

Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo Glide Flight

According the the article at the link below, Virgin says that if things go well, there may only be one more gliding flight between now and their first rocket-powered test mission.  Branson still hopes to begin commercial service, probably out of their New Mexico facility, in 2014.

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x1891367180/Space-ship-completes-24th-test-flight-in-Mojave

UMD Students Continue Gamera II Push; AeroVelo Right Behind!

I have got to TOTALLY take my hat off to these students!  I have been involved with multiple flight test programs over the years, and I watched high pressure projects like B-1, F-22, and others.  None of them were pushing any harder than these kids are pushing to reach their goal.  No matter what happens or who wins the Sikorsky prize, all of them are record-breakers in my book.  Way to go!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/u-md-students-try-to-win-250000-prize-for-hovering-in-a-man-powered-helicopter/2013/02/28/fa98ba48-81f9-11e2-a350-49866afab584_story.html

Boeing F-15SA Testing is Underway

This is a "better late than never" entry.  (Circumstances have kept me away from the blog for a while.)  The DoD Foreign Military Sales program includes a big delivery of modified F-15s to the Saudis has begun.  Information at the links below indicates that their planes will have major upgrades to the flight controls and avionics.  It would also seem that some new weapons integration may be coming down the pike.  Is the work really going to be done at Wright Patterson?  Interesting...

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123339926

http://www.robins.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123342088

Boeing 787 Flies in Preparation for Battery System Re-Certification

Although the required battery system checks were not on the test cards, supporting components of the new plane's electrical systems were checked out yesterday.  The company expects to evaluate the battery-related fixes in the near future.

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_04_01_2013_p0-564734.xml