Refle tions

First Flights of the ATF PrototypesYF-22 Dave Ferguson Tom MorgenfeldYF-23 Paul Metz Jim Sandberg

Dave Paul

Refle tions

Our Cheerful Staff Is Ready To Fly For You!

ATF Chronology

• Study Contracts since the late 1970’s

• 01 Oct 1986 Contract Awards » LOCKHEED/ GENERAL DYNAMICS » NORTHROP/McDONNELL DOUGLAS

» Pratt & Whitney» General Electric

• Apr 1991 Downselects

THE SKUNKS

YF -22 “Lightnings”

YF-23 “Ghosts”

ATF Chronology• Study Contracts since the late 1970’s

• 01 Oct 1986 Contract Awards

• 27 Aug 1990 YF-23 #1 (PW)

• 29 Sep “ YF-22 #1 (GE)

• 26 Oct “ YF-23 #2 (GE)

• 30 Oct “ YF-22 #2 (PW)

• Apr 1991 Downselects

YF-23 PAV 127 AUG 1990PAUL METZ

YF-23 PAV-1 First Flight

• Scrupulous TEAM preparation

• Off-the-shelf ain’t if it’s changed

• The magic works, but the plumbing don’t

YF-22 SHIP # 1 29 SEPT 1990

Dave Ferguson YF-22 Chief Test Pilot

YF-22 Ship # 1 First Flight

• Schedule imperatives are REAL.

• PLAN to be flexible

• Flight/Ground Idle… STATE changes

• The First Flight’s not done ‘til the test cards are.

Jim Sandberg YF-23 Project Pilot

YF-23 PAV 2 26 OCT 1990

YF-23 PAV-2 First Flight

• Been there, done that…

• Darryl always used to say…

• The First Flight’s not done ‘til the test cards are.

Lesson Learned

• Been there, done that, but……

• Always beware of taking off in the opposite direction on a single runway on a different frequency than all other traffic.

Lesson Learned

F-15 PhotoChase

T-38 Training Flight

F-16 SafetyChase

On Test Freq:“Ghost 2, Cleared for takeoff”

On Tower Freq:“Cobra 12, Cleared for touch and go”

YF-23 #2

Lesson Learned

• Darryl always used to say…

• EXPECT to have landing gear difficulties on any first flight

Lesson Learned

• The First Flight’s not done ‘til the test cards are…

• Gausian ShapingThe “Apollo 13” Phenomenon

YF-22 SHIP #230 OCT 1990

Tom Morgenfeld

YF-22 Ship # 2 First Flight

• Off-the-shelf ain’t if it’s changed

• Scrupulous TEAM preparation

• First Flight CREWS

• The First Flight’s not done ‘til the test cards are.

SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY

How it Went(Dem/Val Stats)

YF-22PAV-1 (GE YF120)

29 Sep to 28 Dec 90

Sorties: 43

Hours:52.8

PAV-2 (PW YF120)

30 Oct to 28 Dec 90

Sorties: 31

Hours: 38.8

Total

Sorties: 74

Hours: 91.6

YF-23PAV-1 (PW YF119)

27 Aug to 30 Nov 90

Sorties: 34

Hours:44.4

PAV-2 (GE YF120)

26 Oct to 15 Dec 90

Sorties: 16

Hours: 21.4

Total

Sorties: 50

Hours: 65.8