End of an era, or a new beginning ?? X47B launching from the George W.
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X-47B & CVN-77
"X-47B in flight after first-ever catapult launch from USS George H.W. Bush 14 May 2013" - Downwind perhaps? About to turn base? Or on way home I guess - no wheels etc....
http://www.navair.navy.mil/img/uploa...-UZ648-298.jpg
Click for pic:
http://www.navair.navy.mil/img/uploa...-UZ648-298.jpg
Click for pic:
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 17th May 2013 at 05:11. Reason: no wheels...
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
X-47B Heads For Final Tests
...........Navy officers are very clear on a distinction between the Navy and the Air Force, which insists on talking about remotely piloted aircraft: Navy "unmanned air systems" have operators, not pilots. Of course, the Navy hasn't been forced to divert a large number of qualified pilots into UAVs, as the USAF has been (Predators and Reapers are the USAF's second-largest pilot force after the F-16), and will not have to do so for a long time. But the fact remains that flying a UAV with a stick and rudder or any semblance thereof is (to quote an Airbus guy's comment on the Boeing 777's back-driven yoke) like putting a steering wheel on a horse. "Pilot" is a bit of a misnomer.
Speaking of pilots, the Navy's attitude towards adopting the X-47B's automatic landing technology for manned operations is quite positive. The potential benefits -- less wear and tear on airframes and less training time for the air group, along with improved safety -- are substantial.
Navy Drone’s Next Test: X-47B Will Land, Sort Of; China Unveils Similar Drone
...........What’s subtly remarkable about the X-47B is how much more autonomous it is than other unmanned aircraft, not just in take-off and landing but in flight as well. Most drones, such as the famous Predator, are really “remotely piloted aircraft” or RPA: There isn’t anyone on board, but there is a human being somewhere at a ground control station, sitting at a control panel with a joystick, throttle, and other controls, flying the aircraft by remote control, much like a video game. Without constant input from a human operator, an RPA will just keep on going in a straight line or, if its onboard computer realizes it has “lost link” with ground control, it will automatically go into a holding pattern and wait. If the humans can’t get back in contact with the drone, it will keep flying circles in the air until it runs out of gas and crashes. (Or it may self-destruct).
The X-47B is in constant communications with a human on the ground or on the carrier, but they don’t have a joystick – they use standard computer mice, or, for landings, a specialized hand controller – and they’re not flying it by remote control. They’re giving it commands to perform certain tasks, such as land, abort the landing (a “wave off” in Navy parlance), or fly to a specified point. The robot handles the details – just like a human pilot following instructions from flight control.
“The air vehicle operator always has direct control, always has a direct link to the air vehicle, and always has the ability to direct it to do a certain task, [e.g.] to discontinue an approach or wave off, to turn or climb or to execute another round,” said Engdahl, “[but] the aircraft is always autonomous. It is always thinking about the commands that are given to it and reacting to the commands in one sense or the other.”..............
...........Navy officers are very clear on a distinction between the Navy and the Air Force, which insists on talking about remotely piloted aircraft: Navy "unmanned air systems" have operators, not pilots. Of course, the Navy hasn't been forced to divert a large number of qualified pilots into UAVs, as the USAF has been (Predators and Reapers are the USAF's second-largest pilot force after the F-16), and will not have to do so for a long time. But the fact remains that flying a UAV with a stick and rudder or any semblance thereof is (to quote an Airbus guy's comment on the Boeing 777's back-driven yoke) like putting a steering wheel on a horse. "Pilot" is a bit of a misnomer.
Speaking of pilots, the Navy's attitude towards adopting the X-47B's automatic landing technology for manned operations is quite positive. The potential benefits -- less wear and tear on airframes and less training time for the air group, along with improved safety -- are substantial.
Navy Drone’s Next Test: X-47B Will Land, Sort Of; China Unveils Similar Drone
...........What’s subtly remarkable about the X-47B is how much more autonomous it is than other unmanned aircraft, not just in take-off and landing but in flight as well. Most drones, such as the famous Predator, are really “remotely piloted aircraft” or RPA: There isn’t anyone on board, but there is a human being somewhere at a ground control station, sitting at a control panel with a joystick, throttle, and other controls, flying the aircraft by remote control, much like a video game. Without constant input from a human operator, an RPA will just keep on going in a straight line or, if its onboard computer realizes it has “lost link” with ground control, it will automatically go into a holding pattern and wait. If the humans can’t get back in contact with the drone, it will keep flying circles in the air until it runs out of gas and crashes. (Or it may self-destruct).
The X-47B is in constant communications with a human on the ground or on the carrier, but they don’t have a joystick – they use standard computer mice, or, for landings, a specialized hand controller – and they’re not flying it by remote control. They’re giving it commands to perform certain tasks, such as land, abort the landing (a “wave off” in Navy parlance), or fly to a specified point. The robot handles the details – just like a human pilot following instructions from flight control.
“The air vehicle operator always has direct control, always has a direct link to the air vehicle, and always has the ability to direct it to do a certain task, [e.g.] to discontinue an approach or wave off, to turn or climb or to execute another round,” said Engdahl, “[but] the aircraft is always autonomous. It is always thinking about the commands that are given to it and reacting to the commands in one sense or the other.”..............
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UCAS Touch and Go Landing 1 VIDEO
And now for something completely different - a T&G X-rated video....
UCAS Touch and Go Landing 1
"Uploaded on May 17, 2013
An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator conducts a touch and go landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), marking the first time any unmanned aircraft has completed a touch and go landing at sea. George H.W. Bush is conducting training operations in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Navy video by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gregory Wilhelmi
130517-N-WH671-001"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIWVs8xtiv8
UCAS Touch and Go Landing 1
"Uploaded on May 17, 2013
An X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator conducts a touch and go landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), marking the first time any unmanned aircraft has completed a touch and go landing at sea. George H.W. Bush is conducting training operations in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Navy video by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gregory Wilhelmi
130517-N-WH671-001"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIWVs8xtiv8
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 18th May 2013 at 08:02. Reason: PicAdd
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"...inaccurate Navy-supplied wire dynamics model..."
The day of the unmanned aircraft. By Dave Majumdar on May 15, 2013
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/05/the-day-of-the-unmanned-aircra.html
"...However, the X-47B did not carry out an arrested landing upon returning to Pax River. That could be because the unmanned jet was having difficulty making even that first trap it did the week before where the Navy showed off a video of the aircraft snagging a wire. Sources told the DEW Line, at the time of the earlier trap, the aircraft now had a 10 percent field boarding rate... So hopefully, this isn't an indication of a major problem. The X-47B guys have had to redesign their tail hook a number of times now due to the same inaccurate Navy-supplied wire dynamics model that was partly responsible for the F-35C's woes...."
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/05/the-day-of-the-unmanned-aircra.html
"...However, the X-47B did not carry out an arrested landing upon returning to Pax River. That could be because the unmanned jet was having difficulty making even that first trap it did the week before where the Navy showed off a video of the aircraft snagging a wire. Sources told the DEW Line, at the time of the earlier trap, the aircraft now had a 10 percent field boarding rate... So hopefully, this isn't an indication of a major problem. The X-47B guys have had to redesign their tail hook a number of times now due to the same inaccurate Navy-supplied wire dynamics model that was partly responsible for the F-35C's woes...."
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
We Now Know EXACTLY How Much Ass the Navy’s New Killer Drone Will Kick
1,000 pounds over 2,000 miles, is how much
The U.S. Navy is working on a radar-evading, armed, jet-propelled, highly autonomous drone warplane able to take off of and land on the pitching deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier as early as 2018.
Known by the ungainly moniker UCLASS — that stands for “Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike — the new drone will be the first pilotless warplane with the same bombing abilities as today’s manned jet fighters.
It’ll be stealthy. It’ll carry lots of sensors and ordnance over long distance. It’ll be expensive. That much we knew. What we didn’t know until late last week was just how much stuff it will carry, how far and against what level of enemy defenses. We also had no idea how much the Navy expected to pay for the drone.
Now we do know, thanks to an internal Navy document obtained by the U.S. Naval Institute’s news blog. The requirements document lays out what are called “key performance parameters” that the UCLASS drone is supposed to meet.........
1,000 pounds over 2,000 miles, is how much
The U.S. Navy is working on a radar-evading, armed, jet-propelled, highly autonomous drone warplane able to take off of and land on the pitching deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier as early as 2018.
Known by the ungainly moniker UCLASS — that stands for “Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike — the new drone will be the first pilotless warplane with the same bombing abilities as today’s manned jet fighters.
It’ll be stealthy. It’ll carry lots of sensors and ordnance over long distance. It’ll be expensive. That much we knew. What we didn’t know until late last week was just how much stuff it will carry, how far and against what level of enemy defenses. We also had no idea how much the Navy expected to pay for the drone.
Now we do know, thanks to an internal Navy document obtained by the U.S. Naval Institute’s news blog. The requirements document lays out what are called “key performance parameters” that the UCLASS drone is supposed to meet.........
Last edited by ORAC; 9th Jul 2013 at 08:30.
'UCLASS' with a soft C would be pronounced 'useless'.....
Drone acronymish has now extended from TLAs to SLAs, it seems...
When the 'lightly contested environment' turns out to be not that lightly contested, the chances of such an expensive drone surviving more than one mission would be somewhat slim, I would guess.
The idea of armed drones wandering about the world anywhere within a 1200nm radius of action from a USN carrier is 'interesting'....
Drone acronymish has now extended from TLAs to SLAs, it seems...
When the 'lightly contested environment' turns out to be not that lightly contested, the chances of such an expensive drone surviving more than one mission would be somewhat slim, I would guess.
The idea of armed drones wandering about the world anywhere within a 1200nm radius of action from a USN carrier is 'interesting'....
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The idea of armed drones wandering about the world anywhere within a 1200nm radius of action from a USN carrier is 'interesting'
120 Million Foot Pounds I think....assuming Nautical Miles!
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I guess First X-47B Carrier Arrest has to happen today?
Already part posted in another thread [ http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ml#post7932645 ] but this thread is appropriate also.
Unmanned X-47B Readies for Final Touchdown By Jason Kelly – July 9, 2013
Unmanned X-47B Readies for Final Touchdown
Unmanned X-47B Readies for Final Touchdown By Jason Kelly – July 9, 2013
"By Capt. Jaime Engdahl | Program Manager, Navy Unmanned Combat Air System
"...In May, Sailors aboard USS George H.W. Bush worked X-47B operations for the first time and the world watched as they catapulted the aircraft from the deck with ease.
Throughout the next few days, we saw X-47B complete nine perfect touch-and-go landings on the moving carrier deck....
...Final X-47B shore-based arrested landings at Patuxent River were successfully completed in late June. Carrier suitability engineers put the aircraft through a series of very demanding tests, including hard landings and high speed arrestments, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were ready to land on a moving carrier deck. Both X-47B aircraft are now certified to conduct carrier flight operations, including catapults, arrested landings, flight deck taxi operations, maintenance and refueling....
...The revolutionary technologies that we have developed and proven in the harsh carrier environment including aerodynamics of a tailless aircraft, autonomous aircraft behavior, precision GPS navigation, and digitization of the aircraft carrier air traffic control procedures will truly impact the way we integrate manned and unmanned aircraft on carrier flight decks in the future.
While the X-47B itself is not intended for operational use, the UCAS program has developed the concept of operations and demonstrated the technology for follow-on unmanned carrier based aircraft. The program demonstrated the ability to seamlessly integrate unmanned systems into the carrier environment with only small incremental changes to the existing equipment and concept of operations."
"...In May, Sailors aboard USS George H.W. Bush worked X-47B operations for the first time and the world watched as they catapulted the aircraft from the deck with ease.
Throughout the next few days, we saw X-47B complete nine perfect touch-and-go landings on the moving carrier deck....
...Final X-47B shore-based arrested landings at Patuxent River were successfully completed in late June. Carrier suitability engineers put the aircraft through a series of very demanding tests, including hard landings and high speed arrestments, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that we were ready to land on a moving carrier deck. Both X-47B aircraft are now certified to conduct carrier flight operations, including catapults, arrested landings, flight deck taxi operations, maintenance and refueling....
...The revolutionary technologies that we have developed and proven in the harsh carrier environment including aerodynamics of a tailless aircraft, autonomous aircraft behavior, precision GPS navigation, and digitization of the aircraft carrier air traffic control procedures will truly impact the way we integrate manned and unmanned aircraft on carrier flight decks in the future.
While the X-47B itself is not intended for operational use, the UCAS program has developed the concept of operations and demonstrated the technology for follow-on unmanned carrier based aircraft. The program demonstrated the ability to seamlessly integrate unmanned systems into the carrier environment with only small incremental changes to the existing equipment and concept of operations."
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 10th Jul 2013 at 07:36.
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1st and Second X-47B Arresting Videos (apparently)
X-47B Completes First and Second Carrier-based Arrested Landings
____________________
18 second video of first arrest (which I can see now) with my impression that the X-47B takes No.2 wire out of the three available on the BUSH baby....
X-47B First Carrier Arrested Landing AIRBOYD short 18sec
"Published on Jul 10, 2013
The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator completed its first and second carrier-based arrested landing on board USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia July 10."
The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator completed its first and second carrier-based arrested landing on board USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia July 10."
18 second video of first arrest (which I can see now) with my impression that the X-47B takes No.2 wire out of the three available on the BUSH baby....
X-47B First Carrier Arrested Landing AIRBOYD short 18sec
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 10th Jul 2013 at 22:14.
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HiRez Pix of First Arrest X-47B URLs
X-47B Makes First Arrested Landing at Sea (Updated 5:10 p.m, EDT) Story Number: NNS130710-06 Release Date: 7/10/2013
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Vinson, USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs
X-47B Makes First Arrested Landing at Sea (Updated 5:10 p.m, EDT)
HiRez Pics: http://www.navy.mil/management/photo...-MW819-037.jpg
&
http://www.navy.mil/management/photo...-MU440-126.jpg
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Brandon Vinson, USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs
" USS GEORGE H. W. BUSH, At Sea (NNS) -- The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator completed its first carrier-based arrested landing on board USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) off the coast of Virginia July 10....
...During today's testing, the X-47B completed the 35-minute transit from Pax River to the carrier and caught the 3 wire with the aircraft's tailhook. The arrested landing effectively brought the aircraft from approximately 145 knots to stop in less than 350 feet.
Shortly after the initial landing, the aircraft was launched off the ship using the carrier's catapult. The X-47B then proceeded to execute one more arrested landing....
...During today's testing, the X-47B completed the 35-minute transit from Pax River to the carrier and caught the 3 wire with the aircraft's tailhook. The arrested landing effectively brought the aircraft from approximately 145 knots to stop in less than 350 feet.
Shortly after the initial landing, the aircraft was launched off the ship using the carrier's catapult. The X-47B then proceeded to execute one more arrested landing....
HiRez Pics: http://www.navy.mil/management/photo...-MW819-037.jpg
&
http://www.navy.mil/management/photo...-MU440-126.jpg
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 10th Jul 2013 at 22:31. Reason: frmt
A quick question from one not in the know...Why do they leave some of the fleet A/C on the deck during this?
I am assuming this was completed relatively close to home shores, and I would have thought they would have cleared the decks (either below or flown away) during this early trial?
I am assuming this was completed relatively close to home shores, and I would have thought they would have cleared the decks (either below or flown away) during this early trial?
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'622' in answer to one part of your question....
X-47B makes first carrier trap 11 Jul 2013 Dave Majumdar
X-47B makes first carrier trap - The DEW Line
The VIPs including SecNav I believe were onboard having arrived in the prop job.
Otherwise I would guess that because this is not a crab evolution nor a crab pilot attempting to deck land that there is a no worries blind faith due to the excellent testing scenario right from the getgo. No?
The technology that enabled this accurate landing (previous series of touch and goes etc.) is still under development for mere mortals - which - amongst other things is called JPALS.
X-47B makes first carrier trap 11 Jul 2013 Dave Majumdar
"The US Navy made aviation history on 10 July when a Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned combat air system-demonstrator aircraft made a first-ever arrested landing onboard the aircraft carrier USS George H W Bush, which was sailing some 70 miles (113km) of the Virginia coast....
The VIPs including SecNav I believe were onboard having arrived in the prop job.
Otherwise I would guess that because this is not a crab evolution nor a crab pilot attempting to deck land that there is a no worries blind faith due to the excellent testing scenario right from the getgo. No?
The technology that enabled this accurate landing (previous series of touch and goes etc.) is still under development for mere mortals - which - amongst other things is called JPALS.
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3rd DL not carried out - nav glitch (JPALS?)
Drone X-47B fighter lands on Navy carrier, handles glitch well 11 Jul 2013 By Larry Dignan
Drone X-47B fighter lands on Navy carrier, handles glitch well | ZDNet
"Summary: The algorithm guided autonomous X-47B successfully lands on the USS George H.W. Bush twice and self detected a computer anomaly that took it to shore without incident.
The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) completed two arrested landings on board the USS George H.W. Bush on Wednesday and self-detected "a navigation computer anomaly" and diverted to a shore landing site.
According to the U.S. Navy, the carrier landing of the X-47B ushers in an era of unmanned aircraft that can conduct naval aviation missions. The test, conducted off the coast of Virginia, revolved around a 35 minute flight from the Pax River to the carrier and caught the 3 wire with the aircraft's tail hook. The X-47B came to stop in less than 350 feet.
After the first landing, the algorithm-guided X-47B was catapulted off the carrier again. On the third flight, the Navy said the drone "self detected a navigation computer anomaly that required the air vehicle to transit to the assigned shore based divert landing site, Wallops Island Air Field. The X-47B navigated to and landed without incident."..."
The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) completed two arrested landings on board the USS George H.W. Bush on Wednesday and self-detected "a navigation computer anomaly" and diverted to a shore landing site.
According to the U.S. Navy, the carrier landing of the X-47B ushers in an era of unmanned aircraft that can conduct naval aviation missions. The test, conducted off the coast of Virginia, revolved around a 35 minute flight from the Pax River to the carrier and caught the 3 wire with the aircraft's tail hook. The X-47B came to stop in less than 350 feet.
After the first landing, the algorithm-guided X-47B was catapulted off the carrier again. On the third flight, the Navy said the drone "self detected a navigation computer anomaly that required the air vehicle to transit to the assigned shore based divert landing site, Wallops Island Air Field. The X-47B navigated to and landed without incident."..."
Parking aircraft on both sides of the landing area is standard practice....big as they are....Flight Deck space must be used as best possible.
Read some of Steve Coontz books, "Intruders" springs to mind as one that discusses the art of landing aboard Carriers and the perils it poses. He flew A-6's during his time in the USN.
Another excellent book is his "Cannibal Queen".....a real aviation classic.
Read some of Steve Coontz books, "Intruders" springs to mind as one that discusses the art of landing aboard Carriers and the perils it poses. He flew A-6's during his time in the USN.
Another excellent book is his "Cannibal Queen".....a real aviation classic.
Last edited by SASless; 11th Jul 2013 at 22:19.
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X-47B successfully lands on aircraft carrier 10 Jul 2013 Christopher P. Cavas
X-47B successfully lands on aircraft carrier | Navy Times | navytimes.com
"...“The biggest piece of news is that there was no news,” he [Ray Mabus US SecNav] declared. “On the whole, you saw sailors do what sailors do on a carrier at sea.”
Those, at least, were reactions after the first two landings. A planned third landing, however, was waved off after a technical problem was discovered, perhaps emphasizing the special nature of the event.
The X-47B, which had taken off from the Navy’s air test center at Patuxent River, Md., flew to the Bush flanked by a pair of Super Hornet chase planes. After one programmed pass over the ship, the aircraft circled around in the traditional race track carrier approach pattern — although seemingly a bit wider than usual — then came straight in to catch the carrier’s No. 3 wire, just as engineers had planned.
Other than the absence of a cockpit, pilots and aircrew, it all seemed rather routine, but the engineering to get to this point was anything but.
“What you saw today was a miraculous, technological feat,” Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, told a group of reporters flown out to the Bush. “It was astounding.”
After landing, the aircraft was positioned on a catapult, launched and came around again to repeat the feat. It was a more extensive routine than when the little tailless plane — similar to a baby B-2 stealth bomber but about the size of an F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighter — was launched for the first time at sea on May 14.
The second landing was also successful, if just a tad off the optimum — catching the No. 2, or middle wire.
After another launch, engineers from the Naval Air Systems Command planned a third landing, but it was not to be.
“On the third approach to Bush, the X-47B aircraft self-detected a navigation computer anomaly that required the air vehicle to transit to the assigned shore based divert landing site, Wallops Island Air Field,” Cmdr. Ryan Perry, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, said in an e-mail Wednesday evening. “X-47B navigated to and landed without incident.”
Only two X-47B aircraft have been built, and there are no plans to acquire any more. The concept and engineering demonstrator program will likely finish its flight program and be closed down in a few months, as the Navy transitions to a new program to develop an operational unmanned carrier-based jet.
That program, the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike effort, is expected to lead an operational squadron by 2019, Mabus [US SecNav] said."
Those, at least, were reactions after the first two landings. A planned third landing, however, was waved off after a technical problem was discovered, perhaps emphasizing the special nature of the event.
The X-47B, which had taken off from the Navy’s air test center at Patuxent River, Md., flew to the Bush flanked by a pair of Super Hornet chase planes. After one programmed pass over the ship, the aircraft circled around in the traditional race track carrier approach pattern — although seemingly a bit wider than usual — then came straight in to catch the carrier’s No. 3 wire, just as engineers had planned.
Other than the absence of a cockpit, pilots and aircrew, it all seemed rather routine, but the engineering to get to this point was anything but.
“What you saw today was a miraculous, technological feat,” Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, told a group of reporters flown out to the Bush. “It was astounding.”
After landing, the aircraft was positioned on a catapult, launched and came around again to repeat the feat. It was a more extensive routine than when the little tailless plane — similar to a baby B-2 stealth bomber but about the size of an F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighter — was launched for the first time at sea on May 14.
The second landing was also successful, if just a tad off the optimum — catching the No. 2, or middle wire.
After another launch, engineers from the Naval Air Systems Command planned a third landing, but it was not to be.
“On the third approach to Bush, the X-47B aircraft self-detected a navigation computer anomaly that required the air vehicle to transit to the assigned shore based divert landing site, Wallops Island Air Field,” Cmdr. Ryan Perry, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, said in an e-mail Wednesday evening. “X-47B navigated to and landed without incident.”
Only two X-47B aircraft have been built, and there are no plans to acquire any more. The concept and engineering demonstrator program will likely finish its flight program and be closed down in a few months, as the Navy transitions to a new program to develop an operational unmanned carrier-based jet.
That program, the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike effort, is expected to lead an operational squadron by 2019, Mabus [US SecNav] said."
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More DLs for the Salty Dogs required
Glitch forces experimental U.S. drone ashore after historic carrier landing 11 Jul 2013 By David Alexander (Editing by Philip Barbara)
Glitch forces experimental U.S. drone ashore after historic carrier landing | Reuters
"...The X-47B aircraft dubbed "Salty Dog 502" landed twice on the USS George H.W. Bush off the coast of Virginia on Wednesday as Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Admiral Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, looked on.
The aircraft refueled and then resumed testing, aiming to conduct a third landing, officials said. After a successful slingshot launch from the carrier's catapult, the X-47b lined up for its third carrier landing of the day.
"The aircraft had been catapulted, it was airborne, it was in the pattern ... it was on final approach about 4 miles (6 km) out ... hook was down, gear was down," said Rear Admiral Mat Winter, the Navy program executive officer for unmanned aviation.
"As it's supposed to do, it continues to check the health and status of all its subsystems, and that's when it identified one of its navigation computer's anomalous behavior," Winter said.
The plane, which operates with little human intervention, climbed to a pre-set altitude and reported the problem to a controller on the aircraft carrier, who looked at the information and told the plane to divert to the pre-programmed airfield.
Salty Dog 502 flew to Wallops Island Air Field, on a barrier island along the Virginia coast, where it landed itself without further incident, officials said.
Winter downplayed the incident, saying anomalies are common in test aircraft subsystems. He said the Navy expected to continue testing the X-47B aboard the USS Bush next Monday, its next scheduled availability, probably using the second X-47B.
"Based on what we know right now, we fully expect to either operate Air Vehicle 1 or Air Vehicle 2 out to the ship to continue to finalize the objectives for X-47B," Winter said.
The program calls for the aircraft to do a minimum of three carrier landings, though the operators plan to do more if possible, officials have said.
Officials said workers on the program were going over the data from the aircraft to determine what caused the anomaly, which might be fixed simply by resetting the navigation computer.
Winter said a spare navigational computer could be swapped for the one that caused the problem, if needed, and the plane then flown back to Patuxent River Naval Air Station where it could be examined further."
The aircraft refueled and then resumed testing, aiming to conduct a third landing, officials said. After a successful slingshot launch from the carrier's catapult, the X-47b lined up for its third carrier landing of the day.
"The aircraft had been catapulted, it was airborne, it was in the pattern ... it was on final approach about 4 miles (6 km) out ... hook was down, gear was down," said Rear Admiral Mat Winter, the Navy program executive officer for unmanned aviation.
"As it's supposed to do, it continues to check the health and status of all its subsystems, and that's when it identified one of its navigation computer's anomalous behavior," Winter said.
The plane, which operates with little human intervention, climbed to a pre-set altitude and reported the problem to a controller on the aircraft carrier, who looked at the information and told the plane to divert to the pre-programmed airfield.
Salty Dog 502 flew to Wallops Island Air Field, on a barrier island along the Virginia coast, where it landed itself without further incident, officials said.
Winter downplayed the incident, saying anomalies are common in test aircraft subsystems. He said the Navy expected to continue testing the X-47B aboard the USS Bush next Monday, its next scheduled availability, probably using the second X-47B.
"Based on what we know right now, we fully expect to either operate Air Vehicle 1 or Air Vehicle 2 out to the ship to continue to finalize the objectives for X-47B," Winter said.
The program calls for the aircraft to do a minimum of three carrier landings, though the operators plan to do more if possible, officials have said.
Officials said workers on the program were going over the data from the aircraft to determine what caused the anomaly, which might be fixed simply by resetting the navigation computer.
Winter said a spare navigational computer could be swapped for the one that caused the problem, if needed, and the plane then flown back to Patuxent River Naval Air Station where it could be examined further."
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 12th Jul 2013 at 03:11. Reason: by