Originally Posted by
Mad (Flt) Scientist
Hundreds, if not thousands.
Companies design derivatives, rather than all-new designs, partly to save on development costs, and the use of "similarity" and analysis in lieu of test is common.
Any model that isn't the original of the type will have any number of "extrapolations" - all of which form part of the certification of the type.
Thank you for your valuable information.
I have been aware of that for a very long time but I am surprised at the depth of the process with some manufacturers.
From a flight safety perspective I believe that information should be readily available to the pilot on the transition course and in the AFM (i.e. this aircraft has not been flight tested in ........conditions); otherwise we are unknowingly operating in a manner similar to a -x registration.