© Textron Textron AirLand, announced that its under development Scorpion tactical aircraft has completed more than 50 flight test hours ...
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| © Textron |
The recent flights tested aircraft’s performance at various speeds, altitudes and climb rates, assessed the responsiveness of avionics, flight controls and landing system.
The testing program remains on schedule to clock 300-400 test hours this year, in about 150 flights, including a number of international flights, pending the standard approvals.
The flight test featured:
1. 50 hours total flight time in 26 separate flights.
2. Flight envelope: Flight Level 300 (30,000 ft.), 310 KCAS, 0.72 Mach, +3.7 g-force/-0.5 g-force.
3. Maximum airspeed tested: 430 KTAS
4. Single-engine climbs.
5. Stall speeds <90 KCAS 6. Single engine shutdown and restart, in-flight. 7. Demonstration of low-speed aircraft interception mission. Scorpion is designed to meet an unfilled market need for a “capable, versatile, affordable tactical aircraft that can perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, and strike missions when necessary. The Scorpion program began in January 2012, with the prototype's maiden flight in December 2013. Textron AirLand says they could begin production in 2015. Textron has estimated the Scorpion’s price at under $20 million, compared to the $60+ million for a F-18 Hornet fighter. Per hour flight cost is estimated at about $3,000 an hour, compared to $15,000 or more for heavy fighters. Scorpion is powered by two Honeywell TFE731 turbofan engines generating 8,000 lbs. of thrust. Textron AirLand is a joint venture between Textron and AirLand Enterprises.
