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Textron flies production standard Scorpion (Read 1270 times)

Roger Whitcomb

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Textron flies production standard Scorpion
Jan 2^nd, 2017 at 2:40pm

Quote:

Textron AirLand conducted the maiden flight of the first production-standard Scorpion jet on 22 December, the company announced.

The flight took place out of McConnell Air Force Base (AFB) in Wichita, Kansas, and lasted for approximately 1 hr 42 min. During this first flight, the test pilots verified the aircraft's avionics and aerodynamic performance, as well as a number of its systems.

With more than 800 hours already accumulated on the pre-production standard prototype, the improved variant features a Garmin G3000-based avionics suite that features a large high-definition display complemented by two high-definition touch-screens in both front- and rear- cockpits.

Changes to the airframe include four degrees of sweep to the wings, an enhanced aft horizontal stabiliser for improved high-speed performance, a simplified landing gear design, a 'next-generation' head-up display (HUD), and hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS) controls.

According to Textron, this production-standard aircraft will now undergo a comprehensive flight test programme, with the US Air Force looking or the first time to undertake an airworthiness assessment of a non-Department of Defence military aircraft design.

First revealed in September 2013, the tandem twin-seat and twin-engine Scorpion jet has been developed to suit mission sets including COIN, border patrol, maritime surveillance, counter-narcotics, and air defence, in a package set to cost no more than USD20 million.

This maiden flight of a production-standard jet followed the first air-to-surface live firings from the prototype that took place at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in mid-October.

Info from http://www.janes.com/article/66585/textron-flies-production-standard-scorpion-je...