NASA's Other Seekers
Feb. 18th, 2007 09:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragoness_eLike the previous article about the F-15 Seekers, this is very image-heavy below the cut. All history text is from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center web site. As in the previous article, all the images are from the NASA Dryden Research Aircraft Photo Collection.
NASA #991
NASA 991, an F-14 Navy Tomcat designated the F-14 (1X), the 1X signifying that it was Grumman's experimental testbed, was used at Dryden between 1979 and 1985 in extensive high-angle-of-attack and spin-control-and-recovery tests.
NASA #834
NASA 834, an F-14 Navy Tomcat, was used at Dryden in 1986 and 1987 in a program known as the Variable-Sweep Transition Flight Experiment. This program explored laminar flow on variable sweep aircraft at high subsonic speeds.
AFTI F-16
Bio:During the 1980s and 1990s, NASA and the U.S. Air Force participated in a joint program to integrate and demonstrate new avionics technologies to improve close air support capabilities in next-generation aircraft.
The testbed aircraft, seen here in flight over the desert at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, was called the Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) F-16. The tests demonstrated technologies to improve navigation and the pilot's ability to find and destroy enemy ground targets day or night, including adverse weather. The aircraft--an F-16A Fighting Falcon (Serial #75-0750)--underwent numerous modifications. A relatively low-cost testbed, it evaluated the feasability of advanced, intergrated-sensor, avionics, and flight control technologies.
During the first phase of the AFTI/F-16 program, which began in 1983, the aircraft demonstrated voice-actuated commands, helmet-mounted sights, flat turns, and selective fuselage pointing using forward-mounted canards and a triplex digital flight control computer system.
The second phase of research, which began in the summer of 1991, demonstrated advanced technologies and capabilities to find and destroy ground targets day or night, and in adverse weather while using maneuverability and speed at low altitude. This phase was known as the close air support and battlefield air interdiction (CAS/BAI) phase.
Finally, the aircraft was used to assess the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto - GCAS), a joint project with the Swedish Government. For these tests, the pilot flew the aircraft directly toward the ground, simulating a total loss of control. The GCAS was designed to take command in such emergencies and bring the aircraft back to level flight.
The AFTI F-16 program ended at Dryden on November 4, 1997 after 15 years and over 700 research flights. The USAF continued to fly the aircraft until retiring it to the Air Force Museum on January 9, 2001.
NASA #849 - F-16XL
The F-16XL aircraft were built by General Dynamics Corp. as prototypes for a derivative fighter evaluation program conducted by the Air Force between 1982 and 1985. The aircraft were developed from basic F-16 airframes. The most notable difference is the delta (cranked arrow) wing which give the aircraft a greater range because of increased fuel capacity in the wing tanks, and a larger load capability due to increased wing area.
NASA #848 - F-16XL
This in-flight view of NASA's two-seat F-16XL #2 research aircraft clearly shows that the left and right wings are definitely not mirror images of each other. Nevertheless, pilots who have flown the highly modified aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, state that the asymmetry created by modifications to its left wing for the Supersonic Laminar Flow Control (SLFC) project was easily handled by the "XL's" flight controls, and that the plane handled well.
The unique aircraft flew 45 research missions over a 13-month period in the SLFC program which ended in November of 1996. The project demonstrated that laminar -- or smooth -- airflow could be achieved over a major portion of a wing at supersonic speeds by use of a suction system. The system drew a small part of the boundary-layer air through millions of tiny laser-drilled holes in a titanium "glove" fitted to the upper left wing.
Chase Planes:One important safety measure used during research flights is the chase aircraft. The chase pilot follows the research aircraft as it makes the research flights, watching for any problems such as fuel leaks, fire, or the landing gear not being fully retracted or extended. F-18 843,852, 851 and 841 are all chase planes.
NASA #843
NASA #852
NASA #851
NASA #853 - Active Aeroelastic Wing
The program uses a modified F/A-18A Hornet as its testbed aircraft, with wings that were modified to the flexibility of the original pre-production F-18 wing. Other aircraft modifications include a new actuator to operate the outboard portion of a divided leading edge flap over a greater range and rate, and a research flight control system to host the aeroelastic wing control laws.
AFTI F-111
In the early 1980s the supercritical wing on the F-111A aircraft was replaced with a wing built by Boeing Aircraft Company System called a “mission adaptive wing” (MAW), and a joint NASA and Air Force program called Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) was born.
IPCS F-111E
This NASA Dryden Flight Research Center photograph taken in 1975 shows the General Dynamic IPCS/F-111E Aardvark with a camouflage paint pattern. This prototype F-111E was used during the flight testing of the Integrated Propulsion Control System (IPCS). The wings of the IPCS/F-111E are swept back to near 60 degrees for supersonic flight.
F-111 TACT
Starting in 1971 the NASA Flight Research Center and the Air Force undertook a major research and flight testing program, using F-111A (#63-9778), which would span almost 20 years before completion. Intense interest over the results coming from the NASA F-8 supercritical wing program spurred NASA and the Air Force to modify the General Dynamics-Convair F-111A to explore the application of supercritical wing technology to maneuverable military aircraft. This flight program was called Transonic Aircraft Technology (TACT).
That's pretty much it for NASA's Seekers. Tune in another time for Blackbirds, tankers, and SSTs.
F-14 Seekers
NASA Skyfire (or Jetfire)
NASA #991
NASA 991, an F-14 Navy Tomcat designated the F-14 (1X), the 1X signifying that it was Grumman's experimental testbed, was used at Dryden between 1979 and 1985 in extensive high-angle-of-attack and spin-control-and-recovery tests.
NASA #834
NASA 834, an F-14 Navy Tomcat, was used at Dryden in 1986 and 1987 in a program known as the Variable-Sweep Transition Flight Experiment. This program explored laminar flow on variable sweep aircraft at high subsonic speeds.
F-16 Seekers
AFTI F-16
Bio:During the 1980s and 1990s, NASA and the U.S. Air Force participated in a joint program to integrate and demonstrate new avionics technologies to improve close air support capabilities in next-generation aircraft.
The testbed aircraft, seen here in flight over the desert at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, was called the Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) F-16. The tests demonstrated technologies to improve navigation and the pilot's ability to find and destroy enemy ground targets day or night, including adverse weather. The aircraft--an F-16A Fighting Falcon (Serial #75-0750)--underwent numerous modifications. A relatively low-cost testbed, it evaluated the feasability of advanced, intergrated-sensor, avionics, and flight control technologies.
During the first phase of the AFTI/F-16 program, which began in 1983, the aircraft demonstrated voice-actuated commands, helmet-mounted sights, flat turns, and selective fuselage pointing using forward-mounted canards and a triplex digital flight control computer system.
The second phase of research, which began in the summer of 1991, demonstrated advanced technologies and capabilities to find and destroy ground targets day or night, and in adverse weather while using maneuverability and speed at low altitude. This phase was known as the close air support and battlefield air interdiction (CAS/BAI) phase.
Finally, the aircraft was used to assess the Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto - GCAS), a joint project with the Swedish Government. For these tests, the pilot flew the aircraft directly toward the ground, simulating a total loss of control. The GCAS was designed to take command in such emergencies and bring the aircraft back to level flight.
The AFTI F-16 program ended at Dryden on November 4, 1997 after 15 years and over 700 research flights. The USAF continued to fly the aircraft until retiring it to the Air Force Museum on January 9, 2001.
NASA #849 - F-16XL
The F-16XL aircraft were built by General Dynamics Corp. as prototypes for a derivative fighter evaluation program conducted by the Air Force between 1982 and 1985. The aircraft were developed from basic F-16 airframes. The most notable difference is the delta (cranked arrow) wing which give the aircraft a greater range because of increased fuel capacity in the wing tanks, and a larger load capability due to increased wing area.
NASA #848 - F-16XL
This in-flight view of NASA's two-seat F-16XL #2 research aircraft clearly shows that the left and right wings are definitely not mirror images of each other. Nevertheless, pilots who have flown the highly modified aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, state that the asymmetry created by modifications to its left wing for the Supersonic Laminar Flow Control (SLFC) project was easily handled by the "XL's" flight controls, and that the plane handled well.
The unique aircraft flew 45 research missions over a 13-month period in the SLFC program which ended in November of 1996. The project demonstrated that laminar -- or smooth -- airflow could be achieved over a major portion of a wing at supersonic speeds by use of a suction system. The system drew a small part of the boundary-layer air through millions of tiny laser-drilled holes in a titanium "glove" fitted to the upper left wing.
F-18 Seekers
Chase Planes:One important safety measure used during research flights is the chase aircraft. The chase pilot follows the research aircraft as it makes the research flights, watching for any problems such as fuel leaks, fire, or the landing gear not being fully retracted or extended. F-18 843,852, 851 and 841 are all chase planes.
NASA #843
NASA #852
NASA #851
NASA #853 - Active Aeroelastic Wing
The program uses a modified F/A-18A Hornet as its testbed aircraft, with wings that were modified to the flexibility of the original pre-production F-18 wing. Other aircraft modifications include a new actuator to operate the outboard portion of a divided leading edge flap over a greater range and rate, and a research flight control system to host the aeroelastic wing control laws.
F-111
AFTI F-111
In the early 1980s the supercritical wing on the F-111A aircraft was replaced with a wing built by Boeing Aircraft Company System called a “mission adaptive wing” (MAW), and a joint NASA and Air Force program called Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) was born.
IPCS F-111E
This NASA Dryden Flight Research Center photograph taken in 1975 shows the General Dynamic IPCS/F-111E Aardvark with a camouflage paint pattern. This prototype F-111E was used during the flight testing of the Integrated Propulsion Control System (IPCS). The wings of the IPCS/F-111E are swept back to near 60 degrees for supersonic flight.
F-111 TACT
Starting in 1971 the NASA Flight Research Center and the Air Force undertook a major research and flight testing program, using F-111A (#63-9778), which would span almost 20 years before completion. Intense interest over the results coming from the NASA F-8 supercritical wing program spurred NASA and the Air Force to modify the General Dynamics-Convair F-111A to explore the application of supercritical wing technology to maneuverable military aircraft. This flight program was called Transonic Aircraft Technology (TACT).
That's pretty much it for NASA's Seekers. Tune in another time for Blackbirds, tankers, and SSTs.
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Date: 2007-06-17 11:25 am (UTC). Regards
Thank You for site
Date: 2007-08-26 06:31 pm (UTC)Good site ! ;)