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Sikorsky Gathering Data To Expand SB>1 Defiant's Flight Envelope In Additional Test Flights Boeing and Sikorsky are gathering more propulsion system data on the ground to support further flight testing of their SB>1 Defiant advanced compound helicopter. After three successful flight tests, starting with the helicopter's first flight in March 2019, the two firms are making tweaks to expand the helicopter's flight envelope. The goal is for the Defiant to eventually demonstrate a cruising speed of 250 knots, substantially faster than traditional helicopters in the same general weight class, such as the Army's existing UH-60 Black Hawks. The SB>1 uses a compound helicopter configuration with a pair of co-axial main rotor blades on top, as well as a pusher propeller in the rear, to achieve this high-speed flight. The Drive
Air Force Academy Teams Up With Test Pilot School In New Candidacy Program Two Air Force Academy graduates from the Class of 2019 have been nominated to attend the Air Force Test Pilot School in 2022 as part of a new training partnership between the two institutions. Second Lts. Maria Carter and Abraham Eaton were selected this spring as potential engineering candidates. Unlike other engineering candidates, they will not be required to complete two years’ service in their field before attending TPS. The lieutenants will enter master’s degree programs, serve approximately eight months in a test unit at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and move directly into TPS -- provided they are confirmed by the Air Force Material Command operations chief at the upcoming Test Falcon selection board. AeroNews Network
Female Test Pilot Flies at the Cutting Edge of Aviation and, soon, Space Kelly Latimer(M), 54, is a test pilot for Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit — two commercial space companies owned by British billionaire Richard Branson. For space tourism company Virgin Galactic, Latimer flies the giant, twin-fuselage aircraft known as WhiteKnightTwo, which carries a smaller spaceship at its belly to an altitude of up to 50,000 feet before the spaceship detaches and blasts off toward suborbital space. Latimer is also chief test pilot for Virgin Orbit, where she flies a modified 747 plane called Cosmic Girl. The plane carries a rocket under its left wing up to about 35,000 feet in the air, after which the rocket is released and falls for about four or five seconds before igniting and launching toward its intended orbit. Latimer is the only female test pilot out of a total of seven between the two companies. Star Tribune
Chapter News
SFTE/ SETP/AIAA Southwest Aerospace Symposium 6-7 Sept. 2019 University of Texas at Arlington Call for Presentations! Please provide a short abstract of your presentation by replying to this email. Time will be 20 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for Q&A.
MGen (Ret.) Charlie Bolden Former NASA Administrator & Space Shuttle Commander Keynote Speaker NASA Bio
Job Opportunities FAA Flight Test Engineering Positions The FAA is hiring 3 FTEs around the country: Los Angeles, Chicago and Fort Worth. See links below (same positions, you just use the link that applies to you: former/current gov’t employee, or all others). These job openings close on July 18th Series / Duty Area of Open Announcement Number / Link Job Title Org Grade Location Consideration Period June Fort Worth, AIR- 28, Aerospace TX; Des 713; 2019 - https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/538125900 Engineer FV-0861-I Plaines, IL; U.S. Citizens AIR- July (Flight Test) Lakewood, 716 18, CA 2019 June Fort Worth, AIR- 28, Aerospace TX; Des 713; Federal 2019 - https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/538126500 Engineer FV-0861-I Plaines, IL; AIR- Employees July (Flight Test) Lakewood, 716 18, CA 2019
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2019 Calendar 5 July SFTE/SETP North Texas Chapters - 1st Friday at the Flying Saucer, Fort Worth, 6pm 18 July South Florida Chapter – Monthly Meeting at Twisted Trunk on PGA 20 July SFTE/SETP/AIAA North Texas Chapter Annual Moon Day STEM Event – Frontiers of Flight Museum, Dallas Love Field 2 August SFTE/SETP North Texas Chapter - 1st Friday at the Flying Saucer, Fort Worth, 6pm 15 August South Florida Chapter – Monthly Meeting at Twisted Trunk on PGA 6-7 September SFTE/SETP/AIAA Southwest Aerospace Symposium, Keynote Charlie Bolden, UT Arlington, TX 19 September South Florida Chapter – Monthly Meeting at Twisted Trunk on PGA
2020 Calendar 4-7 May SFTE/SETP/AIAA Flight Test Safety Workshop, Denver, CO Fall 51st Annual SFTE Symposium – St. Louis, MO
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