Testbed aircraft



A testbed aircraft is an aeroplane, helicopter or other kind of aircraft intended for flight research or testing the aircraft concepts or on-board equipment. These could be specially designed or modified from serial production aircraft.

Use of testbed aircraft


For example, in development of new aircraft engines, these are fitted to a testbed aircraft for flight testing, before certification. New instruments wiring and equipment, a fuel system and piping, structural alterations to the wings, and other adjustments are needed for this adaptation.

The Folland Fo.108 (nicknamed the "Folland Frightful") was a dedicated engine testbed aircraft in service from 1940. The aircraft had a mid-fuselage cabin for test instrumentation and observers. Twelve were built and provided to British aero-engine companies. A large number of aircraft-testbeds have been produced and tested since 1941 in the USSR and Russia by the Gromov Flight Research Institute.

AlliedSignal, Honeywell Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and other aerospace companies used Boeing jetliners as flying testbed aircraft.