Flying Magazine reports, “Self-flying aircraft may be closer to takeoff than you think. On Thursday, Boston-based Merlin Labs announced it began what it claims is the first test campaign of a certification-ready, takeoff-to-touchdown autonomous flight system. The company’s Merlin Pilot is designed to one day allow small aircraft to fly with no humans on board.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Tag: Begins
Vertical Aerospace Begins Ground Testing New Air Taxi Prototype
Flying Magazine reports, “U.K.-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi manufacturer Vertical Aerospace is back to testing aircraft. The manufacturer has begun ground testing a new, more advanced full-scale prototype of its flagship VX4 air taxi after an initial prototype was damaged during an uncrewed flight test last year.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Boeing MH-139 Nuclear Security Helicopter Enters Operational Service
FlightGlobal reports, “An operational US Air Force unit has for the first time received one of the new Grey Wolf helicopters, which will replace the Bell UH-1N in supporting physical security at the service’s nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile silos.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal – Subscription Publication)
Gulfstream Aerospace Begins G400 Flight-test Program
Aviation International News reports, “Gulfstream has officially begun the flight test program for its G400, successfully completing its first flight on August 15. The large-cabin twinjet departed Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (KSAV) at 9:04 a.m. and returned just under three hours later having reached a top speed of Mach 0.85 and an altitude of 41,000 feet. The flight was conducted using the manufacturer’s supply of blended sustainable aviation fuel.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Artemis II Crew Begins Training
SPACE reports that the Artemis II crew has begun training for the mission. The astronauts will “be the first humans ever to fly atop NASA’s Space Launch System megarocket and ride in the agency’s Orion spacecraft.” The four Artemis II astronauts “are NASA commander Reid Wiseman, NASA pilot Victor Glover (the first Black astronaut to leave low Earth orbit), NASA mission specialist Christina Koch (the first woman on a moon mission) and Jeremy Hansen (the first Canadian to go beyond Earth orbit).” Wiseman, Glover and Koch “all have accumulated many months of experience on International Space Station missions and in many cases set records.”
Full Story (SPACE)
Vertical Aerospace Begins Untethered Flight Tests
Aerotime reports, “British eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace has conducted the first untethered flight of its VX4 prototype, kicking off Phase Two of its development program. Until now Vertical Aerospace had conducted piloted flight tests, but with the aircraft always tethered to the ground by a cable.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
U.S. Air Force Begins Initial Operational Testing and Evaluation of MH-139 Grey Wolf
Flying Magazine reports, “The U.S. Air Force recently launched initial operational testing and evaluation (IOT&E) of the MH-139 Grey Wolf, the helicopter set to replace the service’s aging fleet of Bell UH-1N Hueys that perform nuclear security missions. During the week of January 27, three MH-139 flights operated by the 550th Helicopter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, demonstrated its capabilities, the Air Force said.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
US Army Begins 3D Printing Swarms of Small Aerial Drones
Breaking Defense reports, “The US Army has begun 3D printing swarms of small aerial drones for soldiers to train against, in anticipation of a decision on how to proceed with an initiative to cheaply and quickly mass produce drones, according to two senior Army leaders.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)
Archer Aviation Performing Piloted Flights of its Midnight Electric Aircraft
Electrek reports, “All-electric aircraft developer Archer has entered a key development phase ahead of full-fledged flight certification and commercial operations. Last week, Archer completed a piloted flight in its flagship Midnight aircraft, demonstrating a conventional takeoff and landing instead of vertical (it can do both). Check out the entire flight video.”
Full Story (Electrek)