392 – Helicopter Flight Test
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Guest: Antoine van Gent Host: Markus Völter Shownoter: Pascal Becker
In July I visited the Airbus Helicopters factory in Donauwörth and spent time with Antoine van Gent, the Head of Development Flight and Ground testing for Germany. We talked about the helicopter flight testing process, some of the cultural aspects, the collaboration between pilots and the flight test engineer as well as his participation in a landing of an H145 on top of the Aconcagua mountain.
Introduction Antoine Van Gent
00:02:28(Head of Development Flight- and Ground Test @ Airbus Helicopters) | General Dynamics F-16 | Boeing AH-64 | Boeing CH-47D | Bell 412 | Bölkow Bo 105 | Aerospatiale AS 332
Flight Test Organization
00:06:03Sikorsky CH-53 | Airbus H120 | Reciprocating engine | Iron Bird (Omega Tau 210 - A350 Flight Testing) | Situation Awareness | Fly-by-wire | VoloCopter | Interview with Billie Flynn F-35: Capabilities, Missions, Kinematics, Role In Ukrainian Crisis And Beyond. Interview With Billie Flynn
Test Pilot Education and Testing Facilities
00:40:42Wright Brothers | Empire Test Pilots' School | U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (EPNER - Ecole du personnel navigant d'essais et de reception)
Becoming a Test Pilot
01:46:56
End of Interview and Bonus: Walk through the Assembly Line
02:05:51
Vielleicht noch eine Ergänzung für die Shownotes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbQzYjQImiE
No pictures from the assembly line walk through?
Nope, not allowed.
I had never heard of an “iron bird” before but I like that name. We have something very similar in the automotive industry but we call it a “plywood buck”. Of course the auto industry, being so cost sensitive, would use plywood instead of iron…
… it’s probably because cars don’t have huge spinning rotors on top that need to be kept safely in place :)