Also: A-10 Demo Team, AEA, AUVSI Novus, Avidyne SAIB, Raisbeck STC, Boeing-Turkey, NASA Marshall SFC
Airbus’ A340 laminar-flow “BLADE” test demonstrator aircraft, an A340-300, has made its successful maiden flight for the Clean Sky “Blade” project. The aircraft, dubbed “Flight Lab”, took off from the Tarbes aerodrome in southern France at local time 11:00, and after a series of successful tests it landed at Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse Blagnac. The overall flight time was 3 hours and 38 minutes. ‘BLADE’ stands for “Breakthrough Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator in Europe.” It aims to improve aviation’s ecological footprint, bringing with it a 50% reduction of wing friction and up to five percent lower CO