Latest Upgrade Proves This Oldie is Still a Goodie

Marking the "beginning of the end" of developmental flight testing for the AH-1Z and UH-1Y, a UH-1Y "Huey" made the first flight of a fully-configured and -functional H-1 Upgrade aircraft at Patuxent River (MD) last Thursday (October 9).

Coming out of the last major scheduled modification period that incorporated a moveable elevator and the Thales "Top Owl" helmet-mounted sight and display, the aircraft will soon begin the final phases of developmental testing before operational evaluation, the last milestone before a full-rate production decision, begins in the Fall of 2004.

"This is a major milestone," said Jay Stratakes, deputy program manager for the H-1 Light/Attack Helicopter Program at the NAVAIR facility. "The aircraft is doing everything we've asked it to do, when we've asked it to do it. We are tracking right down the schedule to bring a solid product to the Fleet that needs it."

Previous flight testing, consisting primarily of envelope expansion testing, did not require the use of the HMSD and thus testing could be done more efficiently while simultaneously developing and integrating the software loads and avionic hardware required for later testing of the Thales system, according to program officials.

The other UH-1Y and two AH-1Z test aircraft at the test center are still undergoing the same modifications and are all expected to be flying by the end of the year.

Thursday's flight, flown by Bell Helicopter test pilot Gregg Shimp and Marine Maj. Pat Lindauer, also reflected the hard work to date by the H-1 Integrated Test Team and program, according to Stratakes.

"It's taken a lot of hard work and long days over the past two years, but Bell was able to meet the contractual deadline for this mod period and along with the military and civilian members of the team, really turned to and kept this aircraft on track to meeting the Fleet's needs," Stratakes said.

"If you don't work closely with acquisition programs like these, this might seem like just another routine test hop," He continued. "But it's not. We still have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but this is truly motivational."

The H-1 Upgrades integrated test team has achieved more than 1,300 flight test hours with five aircraft (three AH-1Z and two UH-1Y test aircraft, of which all but one AH-1Z are production representative). The test aircraft have flown 220 knots, maneuvered from -0.4 to +3.5 g's and been to the 10,000-foot altitude mark.

The original's pushing 50... 

Thanks to a production schedule that speeds UH-1Y production ahead of the AH-1Z's, the Marines will soon be able to replace their aging UH-1N fleet. Introduced to the Fleet Marine Force in 1971 (with the last one delivered in 1977), the UH-1N has never had a service life extension.

While not as old as the UH-1N fleet, the current Cobra fleet, the AH-1W, faces growing obsolescence challenges on the modern, asymmetrical battlefield.

Both the AH-1Z and the UH-1Y will play a key role in implementing the Navy/Marine Corps Team's Seapower 21 operational concept by performing the Sea Strike mission capabilities of projecting precise and persistent offensive power. These capabilities will be realized through the aircraft's robust design, advanced sensors and increased weapons load.

Both H-1 aircraft have totaled more than 27 million flight hours since October 20, 1956 when the "granddaddy" of all H-1s, the XH-40, made its first flight. Since then, more than 16,000 H-1 helicopters have been produced by Bell and its licensees -- making it the most successful military aircraft in aviation history.

FMI: www.bellhelicopter.com/aircraft/military/bell_uh-1y.html