Multiple Aircraft And Spacecraft Boast First Flights In Last Year

Korea Aerospace Industries conducted the first flight of the prototype Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) on July 4, 2019. The LAH, and companion Light Civil Helicopter, are based on the Airbus H155B1 medium twin-turbine commercial helicopter. Credit: Korea Aerospace Industries

Virgin Orbit performed the inaugural drop test of its LauncherOne on July 10, 2019, releasing an inert version of the low-cost satellite launcher from under the wing of its Boeing 747 carrier aircraft. LauncherOne ignited but failed to reach orbit on the first launch attempt on May 25 off the Southern California coast. Credit: Virgin Orbit

Dynetics X-61A

Leonardo’s largest unmanned aircraft yet, the medium-altitude, long-endurance Falco Xplorer, made its initial flight from Trapani Air Base, Sicily, on Jan. 15. The 2,870-lb. UAV has an endurance of more than 24 hr. carrying a 550-lb. payload. Credit: Leonardo

Osprey

Russia’s modernized Tupolev Tu-160M2 strategic bomber flew for the first time on Jan. 25 from United Aircraft Corp.’s Kazan Aircraft Production Association plant. The M2 has updated avionics, new Kuznetsov NK-32-02 engines and other changes. Credit: UAC

PHASA-35

Operated by subsidiary Space Logistics, Northrop Grumman’s first Mission Extension Vehicle, or MEV-1, docked with Intelsat 901 on Feb. 26—the first operation of its kind in geostationary orbit—and returned the communications satellite to commercial service for up to another five years. Credit: Northrop Grumman

The first of 36 Boeing F-15QAs for Qatar made its first flight from St. Louis on April 14. The Advanced Eagle features fly-by-wire flight controls, a digital electronic-warfare system, an infrared search-and-track system and a Raytheon APG-63(v)3 active, electronically scanned array radar. Credit: Boeing

The SpaceX Crew Dragon was launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on May 30 on its inaugural mission to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). Carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, the capsule docked with the ISS on May 31. Credit: NASA

The first of two test aircraft for the Block 3 version of the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet took off from St. Louis on June 4. The Block 3 features a 10 X 19-in. touch screen cockpit display, conformal fuel tanks as well as sensor, processor and communication upgrades. Credit: Boeing

The Aerospace Industries Development Corp.’s AT-5 “Brave Eagle” advanced jet trainer made its first flight from Ching Chuan Kang Air Base, Taiwan, on June 10. The design is derived from AIDC’s F-CK-1 Ching Kuo indigenous defense fighter. Credit: Aerospace Industries Development Corp.

A modified Tecnam P2006T twin-engine light aircraft, the Targus optionally piloted aircraft developed by electronics giant Indra completed its inaugural flight from Rozas, Spain, on June 24. The Targus is being developed for maritime surveillance, search and rescue and other roles. Credit: Indra