The United States Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity conducted an Airworthiness and Instrument Flight Characteristics evaluation of a Production AH-1S (Prod) to determine potential for the AH-1S with Enhanced Cobra Armament System (ECAS) to meet instrument meteorological conditions qualification criteria. The test aircraft was configured with two tube launched, optically tracked, wireguided (TOW) missile launchers on each outboard wing stores station and a 7-tube lightweight launcher on each inboard wing stores station. The test consisted of 16.3 flight hours which were flown during 12 test flights. Four deficiencies and seven shortcomings associated with flying the AH-1S in instrument flight conditions, were identified. The deficiencies identified were: (1) Unsatisfactory cyclic control system mechanical characteristics; (2) large pitot-static system airspeed errors in climb and descent; (3) Easily excited lateral gust response; (4) Vertigo-inducing location of radio control panels. Five specification noncompliances were noted. The AH-1S (Prod) is not suitable for flight in instrument meteorological conditions, which infers tht the AH-1S (ECAS) will also not be suitable. (Author)
AH-1S(PROD) Airworthiness and Flight Characteristics for Instrument Flight
1980
47 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Aircraft , Air & Space-Launched Missiles , Avionics , Instrument flight , Attack helicopters , Airworthiness , Army aircraft , External stores , Guided missile launchers , Air to surface missiles , Wire guidance , Flight control systems , Aerodynamic stability , Flight instruments , Attitude control systems , Airspeed indicators , Gust loads , Dynamic response , Vertigo , Pilots , Flight testing , Deficiencies , H-1 aircraft , AH-1S aircraft , Tow missiles , ECAS(Enhanced Cobra Armament System) , IMC(Instrument Meteorological Conditions) , NTISDODXA
767-200 AWACS Airworthiness Flight Test Program
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1997
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