Engineers at Edwards AFB, Calif., have installed a first-of-its-kind aeronautical telemetry ground system at the Air Force Test Pilot School. The new system is expected to improve the ability of aircraft performance data to be transmitted to personnel on the ground during flight testing. The new equipment is capable of acquiring airborne telemetry data in the C-band, L-band and S-band frequency ranges. The prior system could only receive in the L-band and S-band. “Due to technological advances and the increase in civilian use of various frequencies … there has been a need to expand our range of frequencies for flight testing,” said John Ward, who manages this upgrade project. Early testing of this system has been very encouraging and it is expected to be fully operational by July, according to Edwards officials. (Edwards report by Kenji Thuloweit)
The Smithsonian’s announcement that an F-117A Nighthawk, tail number 85-0818, is headed to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum, or NASM, is welcome news. The acquisition of this Nighthawk fills a long-standing historical gap—indeed, need—in the collections of what is generally considered the world’s premier air and space…
