Thu, Jul 15, 2010
Test Pilot: "Everything Went According To Plan"
The Silent Eagle flight demonstrator aircraft F-15E1 developed
by Boeing completed a successful first flight on July 8 from
Lambert St. Louis International Airport. During the 80-minute
flight, F-15E1 opened and closed its left-side Conformal Weapons
Bay, which contained an AIM-120 Instrumented Test Vehicle (ITV)
missile. The ITV was not launched.
"The Silent Eagle demonstration flight validated our initial
engineering design approach," said Boeing F-15 Development Programs
Director Brad Jones. "Our intent was to verify all systems are
operational in a flight environment. This flawless flight allows us
to move into the next phase. In the next couple of weeks, we will
ferry F-15E1 to the test range and launch an AIM-120."
"Everything about the flight went according to plan," said
Boeing F-15 Chief Test Pilot Dan Draeger. "We saw nothing unusual
during the flight, and we cleared the desired flight envelope
needed to fire the missile at the test range; that is pretty much
unheard of on a first flight."
The Silent Eagle variant includes improved stealth coatings,
redesigned conformal fuel tanks, a canted vertical tail to improve
aerodynamic efficiency and much more. The F-15SE offers unique
aerodynamic, avionic and Radar Cross Section reduction features
that provide the user with maximum flexibility to dominate the
ever-changing advanced threat environment. The aircraft's Conformal
Weapons Bays can carry a variety of air-to-air missiles and
air-to-ground weapons.
More News
With Testing Soon Complete, Launch Preparations Begin in Earnest Sierra Space's Dream Chaser has been put through the wringer at NASA's Glenn Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio, but w>[...]
Takeoff Roll The process whereby an aircraft is aligned with the runway centerline and the aircraft is moving with the intent to take off. For helicopters, this pertains to the act>[...]
“We’re proud of the hard work that went into receiving this validation, and it will be a welcome relief to our customers in the European Union. We couldn’t be mor>[...]
"Aircraft Spruce is pleased to announce the acquisition of the parts distribution operations of Wag-Aero. Wag-Aero was founded in the 1960’s by Dick and Bobbie Wagner in the >[...]
IDENT Feature The special feature in the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) equipment. It is used to immediately distinguish one displayed beacon target from other be>[...]