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/

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