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The United States Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity conducted a Preliminary Airworthiness Evaluation of the OH-58C helicopter from 21 February through 4 March 1978 at Arlington, Texas. Eighteen flights consisting of 14.7 hours of productive flight test time were flown while conducting a limited handling qualities evaluation of the aircraft. Testing was conducted primary at maximum gross weight (3200 pounds) and aft center of gravity (fuselage station 112) conditions. The possibility of inadvertent activation of the night vision goggle switch located on the pilot cyclic control grip was identified as a deficiency. Activation of this switch during day flight rendered the warning and caution lights unreadable. The most significant difference in flying qualities between the OH-58C and the OH-58A was pitch-up tendency at cruise airspeed and aft center of gravity, which is a shortcoming. Insufficient left directional control in right sideward flight, excessive yaw oscillations in left sideward flight between 15 and 39 knots true airspeed, and excessive pitch and yaw oscillations in rearward flight are also shortcomings. Eight additional shortcomings were noted. (Author)

An Airworthiness and Flight Characteristics Test of the Boeing Vertol CH-47D helicopter (USA S/N 81-23383) was conducted by the U.S. Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity. The test was conducted at St. Paul, Minnesota (elevation 704 feet). Edwards Air Force Base (elevation 2302 feet), Bishop (elevation 4120 feet), and Coyote Flats (elevation 9980 feet), California. A total of 148.8 hours (105.4 productive hours) were flown between 25 January and 13 December 1983. Hover, level flight, and autorotational descent performance tests were conducted. Handling qualities tests included static and dynamic stability, maneuvering stability, takeoff and landing characteristics, power management, simulated systems failures, simulated Instrument Meteorological Conditions flight evaluation, and vibration evaluation. Cockpit and subsystem evaluations were also made. The CH-47D exceeded those performance requirements of the Prime Item Development Specification which were evaluated during this test. The Advanced Flight Control System heading select capability and the pressure refueling capability were found to be enhancing characteristics of the aircraft. Three significant shortcomings were found: the poor engine governing system which allows large rotor speed excursions with changes in power setting or airspeed, the high level of cockpit vibrations at and above cruise airspeeds, and an easily excited three-axis airframe oscillation during high power conditions at light gross weight.

The United States Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity conducted an airworthiness and flight characteristics evaluation of the Kaman Aerospace Corporation improved main rotor blade (K-747) installed on a YAH-1R helicopter. The Bell Helicopter Textron YAH-1R was tested from 25 February through 10 June 1977 at three sites in California: Edwards Air Force Base (2302-foot evaluation) , Bishop (4120-foot elevation), and Coyote Flats (9980-foot elevation). A total of 82.9 test flight hours were flown of which 44.7 hours were productive. Bell B-540 and Kaman K-747 rotor blades were evaluated for performance, limited stability and control characteristics, and miscellaneous engineering items. The results of the B-540 blade tests were used as a base line for comparison with the K-747 test results. The YAH-1R helicopter with K-747 blade installed exhibited performance improvements in hover, climb, and portions of the level flight envelope.

The US Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity conducted a limited Airworthiness and Flight Characteristics test of the RC-12D (Improved Guardrail V) aircraft with both standard and infrared (IR) suppressor exhaust stacks installed from 10 May though 1 June 1984 at Wichita, Kansas. During the test program, 12 flights were conducted for a total of 25.7 hours, of which 14.6 were productive. All tests were performed in a normal mission configuration ballasted to a maximum takeoff gross weight of 14,200 pounds and a center of gravity at fuselage station 190.1 (fwd). Test results were compared with data obtained during previous testing, and evaluated against military specification MIL-F- 8785C. Takeoff and landing performance presented in the operator's manual were confirmed as was the Beech Aircraft Corporation provided drag polar plot of the standard stack configured aircraft. A slight degradation in performance was noted with IR suppressor exhaust stacks installed. The RC-12D aircraft has marginal climb performance capabilities with a combat ceiling below 24,000 feet density altitude. The handling qualities of the RC-12D with both standard and IR suppressor exhaust stacks installed were essentially unchanged from the standard C-12D aircraft with the exception of improved stall characteristics.

The United States Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity conducted an Army Preliminary Evaluation of the Model 200 CEFLY LANCER aircraft, manufactured by Beech Aircraft Corporation, from 20 February to 6 March 1974 at the Beech facility in Wichita, Kansas. During the test program, 24.8 productive hours were flown. Performance, stability and control characteristics, and miscellaneous engineering tests were conducted.

The United States Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity conducted takeoff performance tests on an OV-1C aircraft, serial number 67-18918, from 11 April through 19 July 1978. The aircraft was tested at Edwards Air Force Base (field elevation 2273 feet) and South Lake Tahoe, California (field elevation 6262 feet). Twelve flights totaling 6.9 productive flight hours were conducted. Takeoff performance tests were conducted on the OV-1C to substantiate the performance data currently incorporated in the operator's manual. Tests were conducted using two normal takeoff techniques and a minimum run takeoff technique at each of three gross weights. All takeoffs were made from hard, dry, paved level runways. Test results show that the estimated data for normal takeoff is satisfactory but the data for the minimum run technique in the operator's manual is optimistic. (Author)

The U.S. Army Aviation Systems Test Activity (USAASTA) conducted an evaluation of the Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk helicopter during the period 25 May to 13 June 72. The S-67, a derivative of the Sikorsky S-61 (SH-3), was tested at the contractor's facility near Stratford, Connecticut. Performance, handling qualities and mission suitability were evaluated to provide data for use in determining Advanced Aerial Fire Support System effectiveness model inputs, validating material need requirements and validating contractor claims. Twenty six hours of flight time were required for these tests.

The US Army Aviation Systems Test Activity conducted a limited evaluation of the performance and handling qualities of the Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk helicopter at a high-altitude test site during the period 8 to 13 July 1972. This evaluation, which required five hours of productive flight time, was performed at Alamosa, Co, at density altitudes of 7830 to 10,790 feet. Except as specifically noted in this report, the performance and handling qualities at high altitude were essentially unchanged from those reported during the previous low-altitude testing.