Mon, Sep 20, 2010
Seven Globemaster IIIs Evaluate Formation Flight Mod
They say, "birds of a feather," you
know..."flock together and evaluate their flight system
modifications." Right? Well, seven birds of the C-17
Globemaster III "feather" did just that at Edwards Air Force Base,
CA. The 418th Flight Test Squadron conducted flight tests
Tuesday, launching seven of the powerful aircraft over the
desert skies.
The test, designed to evaluate recent modifications made
to the airframe's formation flight system, required multiple C-17s
to fly in formation to validate FFS performance.
The FFS enables the pilot to monitor and fly the aircraft in
formation with other C-17s at the same altitude and distance in any
weather condition.
The C-17 has a basic mission requirement to fly large-scale
formations, both in the clear and through the clouds. The purpose
is to deliver both personnel and equipment with both speed and
accuracy.
C-17 Formation Flight/USAF PHOTO
The lead pilot sends information electronically through the FFS
ensuring entire formation maintains proper speed and altitude.
This seven-ship flight test is a build-up of previous tests.
Initially, the formation flight system was tested here in the
summer of 2008. Later it was tested at Pope Air Force Base, N.C.,
in four-ship formation. Last year at Edwards, the 418th FLTS
conducted the same test using a six-ship formation.
An Air Force news story stated the squadron was to fly second
formation test Thursday with follow-on testing next week.
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