Raytheon AESA APG-79(V)X F-18 Radar in Testing

Systems tests continue to drive most military testing.  New airframes are more and more rare, but it seems that new black boxes continue to drive combat capability, no matter what the age of your airframe.  Being able to continue keeping an eye out for defenders even while you refine your radar picture of the target area would be a nice capability to have.  Can we make it LPI to?

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/latest-raytheon-aesa-radar-soars-in-flight-test-300018622.html

Software-Related Issues Delay Mitsubishi's ATD-X

Built-from-scratch software for the engine control unit seems to be tougher to get correct than anticipated.  Anyone surprised?  I didn't think so.  But what is surprising is the little comment at the bottom of the article that says "No sweat... We'll just shorten flight testing and get it out on schedule."  Really?

http://www.janes.com/article/47768/japan-s-atd-x-first-flight-delayed-by-software-glitch

Lockheed-Martin F-35 Software Testing Lags Behind Schedule

Okay, no one at all familiar with the industry should be surprised by a software delay.  With 8 million lines of code, it would have been a surprise (to the point of shock) if they had been able to MEET the schedule.  What is surprising to me about the article at the link below is the level of detail provided on the current set of issues.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-16/f-35-debut-hobbled-by-flawed-software-pentagon-tester-finds.html

Paraglider Flight Test Goes Deadly

The short article at the link below doesn't offer make or model of the craft, but it indicates that an experienced pilot was testing a new paraglider wing configuration.  The "locked in" comment in the article below may be correct or incorrect, but regardless of how this happened, it should serve as a reminder that the reason we "test" things is because we don't know for sure whether this new thing will work or not.  We have GOT to assume that it will NOT and have a plan in case it doesn't!

http://www.pe.com/articles/jacinto-752919-san-crash.html

Bell's JetRanger 505 X Maiden Flight was Last Month

Short flight of 30 minutes out of Mirabel in Ontario, Canada.  (You can abort the video ad after about 15 seconds of watching.)

http://www.flyingmag.com/news/bell-505-jet-ranger-x-makes-first-flight

Boeing 767-2C Makes Maiden Flight

This is the basic airfame of the future USAF KC-46 tanker, although Boeing apparently also hopes to sell it as a commercial freight-hauler.  According to the article at the link below, it is cobbled together from pieces of other Boeing products.  I guess if you sign a fixed-price contract, you do whatever you can to keep costs down.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-completes-first-flight-of-new-freighter-and-tanker-407472/

DOD Flight Testing Facing Fundamental Changes?

First, please let me aplogize for going nearly two months without an update.  Although the hiatus may have given some of you a chance to dig back into earlier posts, it was not a planned interruption.  Sorry, life just got crazy on the home front.  Regarding flight test, many things have happened in the intervening period, to include a couple of first flights.  I will do my best to get you some links for information on the major events.  In the meantime, the article at the link below may be our first peek at DOD thinking regarding future flight test range infrastructure.  What I find interesting is the places that aren't mentioned, like the major west-coast test and training ranges.  Hmmm...

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/air-force/2014/12/23/air-force-range-infrastructure-study-underway/20775823/