Testbed aircraft
A testbed aircraft is an aeroplane, helicopter or other kind of aircraft intended for flight research or testing the aircraft concepts or on-board equipment. These could be specially designed or modified from serial production aircraft.[1][2]
Use of testbed aircraft
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For example, in development of new aircraft engines, these are fitted to a testbed aircraft for flight testing, before certification. New instruments wiring and equipment, a fuel system and piping, structural alterations to the wings, and other adjustments are needed for this adaptation.[3][4]
The Folland Fo.108 (nicknamed the "Folland Frightful") was a dedicated engine testbed aircraft in service from 1940. The aircraft had a mid-fuselage cabin for test instrumentation and observers. Twelve were built and provided to British aero-engine companies. A large number of aircraft-testbeds have been produced and tested since 1941 in the USSR and Russia by the Gromov Flight Research Institute.[2][5]
AlliedSignal,[6] Honeywell Aerospace,[7] Pratt & Whitney,[8] and other aerospace companies used Boeing jetliners as flying testbed aircraft.[9]
See also
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- Index of aviation articles
- List of experimental aircraft
- List of aerospace flight test centres
- Development mule
- Iron bird (aviation)
References
- ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ GE's new 747 flying testbed colors. (7 June 2013) Aviation Week. Retrieved from link
- ↑ Lancaster Test Bed Images. Avro Lancaster. Retrieved from link
- ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
- ↑ AlliedSignal powers up AS900 turbofan. (18 August 1999) Flight Global. Retrieved from link
- ↑ Boeing 757 test-bed plane showcases Honeywell R&D capabilities in Dubai. (6 August 2016) The National Business. Retrieved from link
- ↑ Inside Pratt's new flying testbed. (8 May 2012) Aviation Week. Retrieved from link
- ↑ Tempest Fighter To Wield Flying 'Excalibur' Lab For Digital Dominance. (2021-09-15) Retrieved 2021-09-18 from Breaking Defense
