Old Viper Tester Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 (edited) F-16A 80-0550, F-16 Combined Test Force, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. Evaluation flights of handling qualities (stability and control) of the aircraft with LANTIRN targeting and navigation pods. The pods and pylons are engineering mock-ups. October 1982 and January 1983. Lucky shot as we re-joined and barrel rolled over him to avoid overshooting. Good view of the general arrangement of the spin recovery parachute attachment fittings and associated fuselage reenforcements Straight-in approach to Runway 22 over Rogers Dry Lake. The Boron mines in the background. '550 was a dedicated Performance and Flying Qualities (P&FQ) test aircraft, hence the spin recovery chute fittings for high angle-of-attack and departures testing. '550 would later have an F-16C vertical tail installed to evaluate the effects of the enlarged fairing that was intended to house the Airborne Self-Protection Jammer, which, as it turns out, was never accepted by the USAF. Thanks for looking, Sven Edited April 23, 2019 by Old Viper Tester 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whiskey Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 Wow the LANTIRN came about that early on? I thought it was much later. Cool info and pics Sven, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Another treasure trove Sven, thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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