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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 2281.PDF
ensure the aircraft can always be recovered if there is a problem during the STOVL build-down phase. The first test will be a "no-go VTO", says Winship. The aircraft will be loaded to a weight that just exceeds the thrust and the lift system run to full power. The X-35B is expected to rise on its landing-gear oleos, fooling the aircraft into thinking it is airborne and switching the control system to hover mode. This will check the transition between control modes. Next will be two or three "hops". With weight just below thrust, power will be increased to maximum and the aircraft would become airborne for 5-6s before the pilot throttles back. Again this is to check the transition between control modes. The third step will be a couple of full hover "press ups", says Winship. The aircraft will lift to between 20ft and 50ft (6m and 15m) and the pilot will perform a series of hover manoeuvres to check controllability. Initial tests completed, the aircraft will complete a couple of CTOL check-out flights before travelling to Edwards to begin STOVL testing. Winship says the X-35B has the thrust margin to perform vertical take-offs and landings at Edwards. Testing planned for Pax will focus on STOs and on demonstrating sea-level VTOL per formance. The lift system generates 38,0001b (170kN) of vertical thrust at sea level, he says, while the aircraft weighs 30,0001b dry and carries 7,0001b of fuel. "We can take off vertically at sea level with full gas," Winship says. Propulsion system performance will be a key factor over the coming weeks. STOVL system hardware and software has been fully tested on engine rigs at Pratt & Whitney and in the aircraft over hover pits at the teams' Palmdale facilities. P&W delivered three engines to each team. "We have calibrated all three for thrust margin and life left. This allows us to track the performance of each engine and manage the assets so that they always have the best engine," says Bob Cea, P&W's JSF119 programme director. "But the question is not thrust; it's han dling qualities. We ha,ve to show how easy it is to operate these aircraft," Cea says. "In Lockheed Martin's aircraft the STOVL engine is responsible for the handling qualities. That is why the software is so critical." In the X-35B, the system must control almost 40,0001b of thrust to within a couple of hundred pounds, he says. Both JSF teams have completed CTOL and carrier-suitability flight testing, and demonstrate STOVL is the remaining challenge. "What is left to prove is that the aircraft can hovei and do short take-off," says Cea. "If the aircraft are close to the test cell, we believe they can do it."B Wingborne flying characteris tics are expected to be identical to the X-35A's A0G Tank Tigers Experienced Hunters Twelve years and over 3.5 million manhours of experience on both integral tanks and flexible fuel cells make the A0G Tank Tigers the big cat in aircraft fuel system maintenance and repairs. Their knowledge and experience pays off in lower overall costs on routine fuel system maintenance requirement*. And when you need to pounce on a fuel system leak, experienced A0G emergency response technicians are ready to hunt. They'll be beside your aircraft - anywhere in the world - in 24 hours or less. Visit the A0G team at wwwtank- tigers.com. or, for more information or a proposal, please contact: TAMi TIGERS ® P.O. Box 16, Barry, Wales UK CF62 7YF +44 (0) 1446 420733 • Fax: +44 (0) 1446 420734 e-mail: dcurtisaog@aol.com • www.tanktigers.com www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 19-25 JUNE 2001 73
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