On This Day in Test History

March 15, 2021
March 15, 1954: His Royal Highness Bernhard, Prince Consort of the Netherlands, Visited the Air Force Flight Test Center

His Royal Highness Bernhard, Prince Consort of the Netherlands, visited the Air Force Flight Test Center. As part of his visit, he flew a TF-86F Sabre trainer and a B‑47 Stratojet bomber.He belonged to the princely House of Lippe and was a nephew of the Principality of Lippe's last sovereign Leopold
March 14, 2021
March 14, 1970: A‑7D Corsair IIs Travel On a 3,502 Unrefueled Capability Demonstration Flight

General Alton Slay, Air Force Flight Test Center Commander, led a flight of two A‑7D Corsair IIs on a 3,502 unrefueled flight to Homestead Air Force Base, Florida. The long flight was to demonstrate the deployment capability of the new attack plane.The LTV A-7 Corsair II was an American
March 13, 2021
March 13, 1967: AFFTC Resources Departed for England in Support of Project HICAT

A U-2, Dragonlady, surveillance aircraft and a C-130 and associated support equipment and personnel departed for England in support of Project HICAT. During the following three months, the team supported missions over France, Italy, and various points in the United States.The report describes the
March 12, 2021
March 12, 1966: Hughes YOH-6A Cayuse Established Two Official Worlds’ Speed Records

A Hughes YOH-6A Cayuse established two official worlds’ records, both of them for speed over a closed circuit course without payload. David M. Kyle flew the prototype light observation helicopter at speeds of 249.85 miles per hour and 246.38 miles per hour . The egg-shaped helicopter was under
March 11, 2021
March 11, 1974: A-10 Stubborn Gun Gas GAU-8 Rotary Gun Testing

An A-10 pilot fired a long burst from his rotary cannon that ignited a large fireball of gun gasses just forward of the aircraft’s nose. A second test later that day resulted in airflow disturbances and mild compressor stalls in the A-10’s engines. This was the first indication of a stubborn gun gas
March 10, 2021
March 10, 1989: Air Force Flight Test Center Began a Major Reorganization

The Air Force Flight Test Center began a major reorganization that would provide for a single responsible test manager below the Air Force Flight Test Center commander, and a single manager for base support. The 6510th Test Wing assumed the functions of the 6510th Maintenance and Supply Group and
March 9, 2021
March 9, 1956: Warner Brothers Crews Completed Three Weeks of Filming “Toward The Unknown”

Warner Brothers film crews completed three weeks of filming “Toward The Unknown,” the story of test pilots and their work at the Air Force Flight Test Center. The film starred William Holden and featured a variety of the Center’s aircraft and personnel.At the dawn of supersonic flight in the 1950s a
March 8, 2021
March 8, 2011: F-35 Automatic Collision Avoidance Technology

The United States Air Force Research Laboratory’s Automatic Collision Avoidance Technology Fighter Risk Reduction Program (ACAT/FRRP) team was awarded an Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine Laureate Award for its successful development and flight testing of an Automatic Ground Collision
March 7, 2021
March 7, 2018: Air Force 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year Award

Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command Commander Gen Ellen Pawlikowski hosted an annual awards banquet for Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command Calendar Year 2017 annual excellence award winners, including five from the Air Force Test Center. These winners included: Senior Non-Commissioned
March 6, 2021
March 6, 2009: Air Force Flight Test Center Established the Edwards Community Council

To strengthen its relationship with the local community, the Air Force Flight Test Center established the Edwards Community Council to provide open dialogue between the base and the citizens of the Antelope Valley. The council was spearheaded by the center commander, Maj Gen David Eichhorn. Through

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