Czech aircraft manufacturer Evektor says its EV-55 Outback has logged 40 flight test hours during 55 sorties since the twin-engined turboprop made its inaugural flight in June last year.
"We are engaged in an intensive development flight-test programme and are very pleased with the results to date," says Evektor, "We are now concentrating on stall characteristics and are measuring and validating flight loads on control surfaces, engine mounts etc," it adds.
Single-engine characteristics and critical-engine assessment trials will follow those tests, it adds. "When these are complete, flutter testing will begin."
In March, the Kunovice-based Evektor selected the CMC SmartDeck integrated flightdeck for the nine-passenger aircraft. The system is being "refined" for installation on the first production conforming aircraft (sn003) - which is being built for a 2013 first flight,
The Pratt & Whitney PT6-powered, high-wing EV-55 is earmarked for European certification in 2015.
Source: Flight International
