AugustaWestland AW609 Test Progress

The story at the link below is largely marketing, but it also contains a few interesting tidbits about progress of the test program, particularly some autorotation work.  The most interesting item to me: that the Society of Experimental Test Pilots was so impressed with the test work that it awarded its highest recognition to members of the AW609 test team.

http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2015-03-03/agustawestland-build-aw609-philadelphia

Vestel Savunma's Karayel Drone Passes Systems Integration Tests

The article at the link below says that Turkey's indigenously designed and built UAV is ready to enter military service.  The primary mission seems to be ISR, but it apparently also has a weapons delivery mission.  Systems testing continues to be the largest major type of test taking place all around the globe these days.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/isr/2015/03/01/turkish-drone-passes-flight-test-with-payload/24219877/

Solar Impulse II Gets Cranking

At this point the plane has already begun the journey that the tests at the link below were to prepare it for.  It will be at it for quite a while.

http://www.zawya.com/story/Solar_Impulse_2_soars_over_Abu_Dhabi_on_its_first_test_flights-ZAWYA20150301051455/

Sikorsky MH-60R Enters Australian Navy Flight Trials

The picture at the link below seems to show operations with the ship in harbor.  You can be sure it will get more exciting as suitability tests expand to determine the full operational envelope limits for the Helicopter/Ship combination.

http://www.naval-technology.com/news/newsran-starts-romeo-helicopter-flight-trials-4519581

NASA Wraps up Latest Phase of "UAS Sense and Avoid"

This one occured late last year and was first reported online by NASA in late January.  It is the kind of test that is easy to miss, because the systems are unmanned and there is no big contract in the balance, at least not yet.  But it is actually a very big deal.  Details are not clear from the story at the link, but it would appear that the SAA system under test used a combination of ADS-B and TCAS-II as the raw data sources, with the actual test item being a set of software algorithms that had to decide how to use the information.  Looks like the software is eventually intended to be compatible with airborne radar as well.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/Features/acas_xu_paves_the_way.html#.VNvPUVrn-v8

Bombardier CS-300 Added to C-Series Test Fleet

It would seem that Bombardier has quietly picked this program up out of the doldrums and gotten some wind into its sails.  The company info at the link below touts some sales numbers as well a bit of info on the CS-300 maiden flight.  If Boeing can survive exploding batteries, there's no reason Bombardier can't survive software delays or engine oil leaks.

http://www.cseries.bombardier.com/