The US Air Force has extended flight-testing of its first two Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 development aircraft to compensate for a month-long grounding after the discovery of hairline cracks in one of the fighter's cockpit canopies. A preliminary investigation suggests the cracks were the result of higher than expected stress during manufacturing, assembly and installation, and a chemical degradation of the polycarbonate material on the transparency.
Source: Flight International
BAE Systems has detailed its progress in producing a supersonic demonstrator in support of the UK’s Future Combat Air System activity, with its critical design review completed and build work advancing.
One of the key supporting elements of the UK’s Future Combat Air System activity is starting to take shape, with 2Excel Aviation starting modification work on the Excalibur flight-test aircraft.
GE Aerospace will overhaul and upgrade the GEnx-2B engines that power the Boeing 747-8I aircraft that will be converted into the US Air Force’s Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC).
