EV-55 Outback Successfully Completed Flight Flutter Tests

The development program of the EV-55 Outback achieved another important milestone when successfully completed flight test series proving aircraft resistance to aeroelastic phenomena – the so-called flutter. The whole series consisted of 20 flights, which were performed in two weight configurations (with minimum and maximum quantity of fuel), and was completed with success in mid-June.

The test flights were performed in two flight levels FL100 and FL200. Excitation impulses were induced during stable flight by means of auxiliary rockets (located on wing and tail units) and by pilot interventions.  The objective of these impulses was to introduce vibrations into the aircraft structure which can occur for instance in flight in turbulent atmosphere. The result of carried out testing was a finding that the aircraft structure shows good damping of such generated vibrations without any other negative phenomena and the aircraft is safe and resistant to fluttering.  

Verification of maximum horizontal speed value of the EV-55 Outback was part of the test flight program. During the tests the speed of 223 KTAS was repeatedly reached at horizontal flight at flight level FL100, which is by 3 kts higher than the theoretically determined value. Thanks to high horizontal speed the aircraft will be able to reach expected productivity which belongs, along with low operation costs and easy maintenance, among the key competitive advantages of the EV-55.