Thu, Aug 16, 2012
USAF Officials Point To A Faulty Control Fin On The Aircraft
The X-51 Waverider hypersonic aircraft failed fairly spectacularly during a test flight Tuesday. The experimental unmanned aircraft reportedly broke apart over the Pacific ocean just 31 seconds after it launched from the wing of a B-52.
Reuters reports that, according to a statement released by the Air Force, a problem was detected with one of the aircraft's control fins about 16 seconds after its rocket motor ignited. When the rocket separated from the aircraft so that the scramjet could boost it to hypersonic speeds, the fin failed, and control was lost. The Waverider went down in the Pacific Ocean near Point Magu northwest of Los Angeles, according to Daryl Mayer, a spokesman for the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
The Air Force had hoped for a flight duration of five minutes, but only got 31 seconds, and only about half of that in controlled flight. It initially stayed on course using the fins on the rocket motor, but when those separated from the rest of the aircraft, control was lost, the Air Force said. The flight plan called for the aircraft to go down in the ocean, and it is considered unrecoverable.
This was the third test flight of the X-51. There is one more of the hypersonic experimental aircraft in the Air Force inventory. The aircraft in the previous test flew at speeds up to Mach 5 for three minutes before it went down in the ocean, which was the planned end to the flight profile. The Air Force is continuing to analyze the data from Tuesday's flight, and has not made a determination whether it will attempt to fly the fourth aircraft.
(Image courtesy of the U.S. Air Force)
More News
Chaff Thin, narrow metallic reflectors of various lengths and frequency responses, used to reflect radar energy. These reflectors, when dropped from aircraft and allowed to drift d>[...]
Aero Linx: International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA) International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA) is comprised of individuals, schools and ministry organiz>[...]
Also: Boeing Whistleblower, Joby Aviation, Aircraft Parts Bust, AF Crew Trains w USCG Our Airborne schedule will be interrupted next week as we live-stream AEA2024. AEA Dallas 2024>[...]
Also: Moron With A Laser, EAA Aviation Museum, FAA v Santa Monica Propeller Service, Frontier MEC Lauds FO Boom Supersonic has confirmed details surrounding the successful first te>[...]
Aero Linx: The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission was created by the 1935 Legislature to oversee the development of aviation in the state. The Comm>[...]