Re: Flight Sim over Edwards


Message posted by Peter Merlin (Member since 11/13/2003) on April 26, 2021 at 11:00:33 PST:

The USAF Test Pilot School (TPS) uses this airplane a lot for class projects.

One example from 2016 was the TACIT CLEAR test management project (TMP), a TPS student-led test of a new fly-by-wire flight control system. The student team was comprised of two pilots and three flight test engineers, from the USAF and the Italian Air Force. The TMP was the largest single project completed by the students during the 48-week syllabus, and brought together all elements of the course. The U.S. Army Aviation Development Directorate was the customer, and Cessna/Textron developed the flight control system. As part of the development process, flight test data detailing the actual aerodynamic responses of Calspan’s Lear 3 were used to create a new mathematical model of our Learjet’s inflight characteristics. Cessna used this more accurate model to develop the company's flight control system. Additionally the TPS applied the model to the school's handling qualities simulator as well as for future Learjet-based test projects.

In February 2020, Calspan announced the start of a five-year contract that continued the ongoing relationship between the company and the TPS that began five decades earlier.

According to a Calspan news release:

"This contract continues the half century relationship between Calspan and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. 'We are proud to continue our long-standing partnership with AFTPS,' said Calspan CEO and Test Pilot, Lou Knotts. This contract reinforces the value Calspan brings to the school and we look forward to participating in the ever-evolving curriculum used to train the next-generation of flight testers.”

Calspan has had a full-time staff at Edwards Air Force base since 2000 and operates the NF-16 Variable-stability Inflight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA) and variable-stability Learjets for the TPS All Calspan pilots are former US military pilots, mostly graduates of the TPS or other military test pilot schools.


In Reply to: Flight Sim over Edwards posted by Ralph on April 26, 2021 at 9:12:26 PST:

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