THE FIRST functional evaluation flight of the joint NASA, US Air Force, Pratt & Whitney and McDonnell Douglas F-15 thrust-vectoring research aircraft was cut short on 14 February when the pilot received indications of a problem with the landing gear.
"It didn't complete the entire functional check-out, but the aircraft returned safely," says NASA, which is running the test from the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB, California. NASA was planning to make a new attempt at completing the flight around 19 February.
The F100-229 powered F-15 is fitted with P&W's pitch-yaw balance beam nozzles for the advanced-control technology for integrated vehicles (Active) programme. These will be activated on completion of the check-out tests. The first vectoring flight could be by 29 February. Plans call for about 60 flights, totalling 100h.
Source: Flight International
