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| comet test pilot: Experimental Test Pilot Chris Taylor, 2023-06-30 Chris Taylor has had a very successful career as a Royal Navy officer, helicopter pilot, test pilot, instructor and as an internationally acclaimed civil certification test pilot. His first book, Test Pilot, concentrates on anecdotes and incidents from the most recent phase of his career. This book is the prequel and is his account of his ten years’ service as an experimental test pilot, from 1994 until 2004, at MoD Boscombe Down, the UK’s tri-Service home of military aircraft testing and evaluation. In this book, Chris explains what led to his passion to be a test pilot and how, with tenacity, he plays the cards he was dealt as well as he could. The story captures the difficulties and challenges associated with being selected for the single annual place at the Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) and the dedication required to then complete the very demanding twelve-month course. Chris was one of only three helicopter experimental test pilots posted to the Experimental Flying Squadron (EFS). It was there that he worked with scientists from the defense Research Agency (DRA) at Bedford and Farnborough on a number of cutting-edge technologies, specializing in ship/helicopter interface testing. In addition to flying the Westland Wessex, Lynx and Sea King, Chris was able to act as an evaluation pilot in the Hunter, Jaguar, Andover, Hawker Siddeley HS748, and the Comet. During his time as an active test pilot, EFS was merged into three platform squadrons which gave Chris the chance to play a full part in conventional ‘release to service’ activities in a wide variety of rotorcraft. Asked to take on the role of a flight test instructor (FTI), Chris served at ETPS where he made sweeping changes to the syllabus, acquired a new helicopter type and had to deal with a number of students who could not cope with the rigors of the course. In his first year he suffered a ‘flame out’ in a Hawk jet, an engine failure during his first flight in the twin-engine Basset and crashed the school’s Westland Scout helicopter– all of which are fully discussed. Following four successful years teaching helicopter flight test, Chris was recruited to manage the ETPS short course portfolio. This required the design, sale and delivery of numerous flight test courses, while also introducing innovative teaching methods and the use of civil registered aircraft. In this new, exciting and rewarding role Chris taught both fixed wing and rotary wing students and the book explains the difficulties of learning the additional skills and flight test techniques required of a fixed wing test pilot. This autobiography explores the military flight test career of an individual who is arguably one of the best qualified and most experienced test pilots working today anywhere in the world. |
| comet test pilot: Vulcan Test Pilot Tony Blackman, 2007-08-19 In this memoir, the author of Nimrod: Rise and Fall details his experience testing the UK’s strategic bomber while flying for Avro during the Cold War. In 2007, a restored Avro Vulcan Mark 2—XH558—took to the skies to help commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict. To coincide with this, the memoirs of one of its test pilots, Tony Blackman, was published to great acclaim. Tony flew no less than 105 of the 136 built, logging 850 flights at over 1,327 hours. His book describes in layman’s terms what it was like to tame the first prototypes of the monumental delta-wing aircraft and to master the unusual characteristics necessitated by the Vulcan’s shape. Although Tony puts the developments, demonstrations, incidents, and accidents in their political and historical context, his story is a highly personal one. He explains how this awesome aircraft became a national treasure and captured the imagination of the whole country. His words, descriptions, and photographs will make people feel as he did the excitement of handling such an incredibly powerful monster always in the knowledge that he had to be always in complete control of the monster as it could, and did, bite back. Praise for Vulcan Test Pilot “Highly readable, keeping both the technical reader interested without perplexing the layman. A fine book for both.” —Logbook “Fascinating, gracefully written, and superbly knowledgeable.” —Air and Space Magazine |
| comet test pilot: Tony Blackman Test Pilot Tony Blackman, 2009-05-19 Tony Blackman OBE, MA FRAeS was educated at Oundle School and Trinity College Cambridge, where he obtained an honors degree in Physics. He learnt to fly in the RAF, trained as a test pilot, and then joined A V Roe where he became chief test pilot. As an expert in aviation electronics he was subsequently invited by Smiths Industries to join their Aerospace Board, initially as technical operations director, helping to develop the new large electronic displays and flight management systems. On leaving Smiths he joined the board of the UK Civil Aviation Authority. He is a fellow of the American Society of Experimental Test Pilots, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and a Liveryman of the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators. Tony Blackman – Test Pilot covers Tony’s captivating career, from the RAF, national service and learning to fly, to squadron flying and testing aircraft at Boscombe Down. Tony gives great insight into the world of the aerospace industry and what it takes to be a test pilot. The book is testament to his fascinating life in aviation during which he flew with the legendary Howard Hughes and tested hundreds of aircraft, including Avros, Shackletons, Victors and all three Vulcan bombers – an almost unique experience. |
| comet test pilot: George Errington: A Test Pilot's Story Mike Phipp, 2020-03-15 The riveting story behind an exceptional test pilot, George Errington, whose career spanned three decades. |
| comet test pilot: Test Pilots of the Jet Age Colin Higgs, Bruce Vigar, 2021-07-21 Eleven daring test pilots recount their experiences at the forefront of aeronautical innovation in this oral history of the Jet Age. In the years after World War II, a select band of British test pilots risked everything in the quest to fly further, faster, and higher than ever before. Their vital work made our modern age of air transport possible. This book captures the stories of eleven such pilots, as told in their own words. Britain’s aircraft industry was booming in the late 1940s, and the demand for test pilots was seemingly limitless as new aircraft designs—some legendary and others nearly forgotten—were being built. Royal Air Force veterans who had distinguished themselves in the war suddenly had a vital new mission. First, they pursued the almost mythic goal of breaking the sound barrier. But once this was accomplished, they found themselves approaching speeds no one imagined possible. Their stories of that time are both colorful and insightful—and often tinged with humor. |
| comet test pilot: Flight and Aircraft Engineer , 1947 |
| comet test pilot: Flight , 1959 |
| comet test pilot: British Test Pilots Geoffrey Dorman, 1950 |
| comet test pilot: John Cunningham Philip Birtles, 2024-01-07 John Cunningham started his illustrious aviation career with the de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School, at the same time learning to fly with 614 Squadron at Hendon. On completing his apprenticeship he helped test fly the Moth Minor with Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr. When WW2 was declared, he was mobilized and started his RAF combat career pioneering the use of AI radar flying Beaufighters and Mosquitos. He completed his service as one of the youngest group captains, with 20 confirmed successes at night or in bad weather. Not wishing a desk job, he returned to his friends at de Havilland, initially as chief test pilot of the de Havilland Engine Company, where his combat experience was invaluable in selling aircraft to overseas air forces. On the death of his close friend Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr, John was appointed chief test pilot of the Aircraft Company and led the flight development of the Comet, the world's first jet airliner, and later the Trident, completing some 35 years of test flying. He died in 2002. |
| comet test pilot: Flight , 1961 |
| comet test pilot: The Comet's Legacy: A Tale of Aviation and Innovation Pasquale De Marco, The DH 106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner. It was a revolutionary aircraft that changed the way people traveled and helped to usher in the jet age. The Comet was developed by de Havilland, a British aircraft manufacturer, in the late 1940s. The aircraft was designed to be a fast, efficient, and comfortable way to travel. It had a sleek, streamlined design and was powered by four de Havilland Ghost turbojet engines. The Comet was also one of the first aircraft to be pressurized, which allowed passengers to fly at higher altitudes without experiencing discomfort. The Comet made its maiden flight in 1949 and quickly entered commercial service. It was an instant success, and airlines around the world began to order the aircraft. The Comet was used to fly passengers on routes across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It was also used by the Royal Air Force for military transport. However, the Comet's success was short-lived. In 1954, two Comets crashed within a few months of each other. The cause of the crashes was eventually traced to a design flaw in the aircraft's wings. The Comet was grounded while the problem was fixed, but it never regained its former popularity. Despite its tragic end, the Comet left a lasting legacy on aviation. It was the first commercial jet airliner and helped to usher in the jet age. The Comet also showed the world the potential of jet aircraft and inspired other manufacturers to develop their own jet airliners. Today, the Comet is remembered as a pioneering aircraft that helped to shape the future of aviation. It is a testament to the human spirit of innovation and the desire to explore the skies. If you like this book, write a review! |
| comet test pilot: De Havilland DH.106 Comet Wolfgang Borgmann, 2024-04-28 This book is the perfect addition to the A Legends of Flight Illustrated History seriesAs the first jetliner operated in scheduled service, the de Havilland Comet is a very important aircraft type in airline history. It set the standards for modern air transport and is therefore a MUST for this book series |
| comet test pilot: Flight Of The Titans Kenny Kemp, 2013-07-31 The gripping story of the biggest trade war in aviation history. In October 2007, the colossal Airbus A380, the largest commercial jet in history, will take to the skies. This gigantic double-decker is the first real competitor to Boeing's iconic 747 Jumbo Jet. Meanwhile, Boeing has thrown its weight behind the smaller 787 Deamliner, an aircraft whose emphasis is on fuel economy and reduced emissions. The future of commercial air travel is in the balance, and the outcome is difficult to predict. |
| comet test pilot: Empire of the Clouds James Hamilton-Paterson, 2010-10-07 In 1945 Britain was the world's leading designer and builder of aircraft - a world-class achievement that was not mere rhetoric. And what aircraft they were. The sleek Comet, the first jet airliner. The awesome delta-winged Vulcan, an intercontinental bomber that could be thrown about the sky like a fighter. The Hawker Hunter, the most beautiful fighter-jet ever built and the Lightning, which could zoom ten miles above the clouds in a couple of minutes and whose pilots rated flying it as better than sex. How did Britain so lose the plot that today there is not a single aircraft manufacturer of any significance in the country? What became of the great industry of de Havilland or Handley Page? And what was it like to be alive in that marvellous post-war moment when innovative new British aircraft made their debut, and pilots were the rock stars of the age? James Hamilton-Paterson captures that season of glory in a compelling book that fuses his own memories of being a schoolboy plane spotter with a ruefully realistic history of British decline - its loss of self confidence and power. It is the story of great and charismatic machines and the men who flew them: heroes such as Bill Waterton, Neville Duke, John Derry and Bill Beaumont who took inconceivable risks, so that we could fly without a second thought. |
| comet test pilot: The New Elizabethan Age Irene Morra, Rob Gossedge, 2016-09-30 In the first half of the twentieth century, many writers and artists turnedto the art and received example of the Elizabethans as a means ofarticulating an emphatic (and anti-Victorian) modernity. By the middleof that century, this cultural neo-Elizabethanism had become absorbedwithin a broader mainstream discourse of national identity, heritage andcultural performance. Taking strength from the Coronation of a new, youngQueen named Elizabeth, the New Elizabethanism of the 1950s heralded anation that would now see its 'modern', televised monarch preside over animminently glorious and artistic age.This book provides the first in-depth investigation of New Elizabethanismand its legacy. With contributions from leading cultural practitioners andscholars, its essays explore New Elizabethanism as variously manifestin ballet and opera, the Coronation broadcast and festivities, nationalhistoriography and myth, the idea of the 'Young Elizabethan', celebrations ofair travel and new technologies, and the New Shakespeareanism of theatreand television. As these essays expose, New Elizabethanism was muchmore than a brief moment of optimistic hyperbole. Indeed, from moderndrama and film to the reinternment of Richard III, from the London Olympicsto the funeral of Margaret Thatcher, it continues to pervade contemporaryartistic expression, politics, and key moments of national pageantry. |
| comet test pilot: The Aeroplane , 1950 |
| comet test pilot: Aeroplane and Commercial Aviation News , 1949 |
| comet test pilot: Hearings United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, 1952 |
| comet test pilot: The Encyclopedia of Aerodynamics Frank Hitchens, 2015-11-25 The Encyclopedia of Aerodynamics was written for pilots at all levels from private pilot to airline pilot, military pilots and students of aerodynamics as a complete reference manual to aerodynamic terminology. General aerodynamic text books for pilots are relatively limited in their scope while aerodynamic text books for engineering students involve complex calculus. The references in this book, The Encyclopedia of Aerodynamics, are clearly described and only basic algebra is used in a few references but is completely devoid of any calculus - an advantage to many readers. Over 1400 references are included with alternative terms used where appropriate and cross-referenced throughout. The text is illustrated with 178 photographs and 96 diagrams. The Encyclopedia of Aerodynamics is an ideal aerodynamic reference manual for any pilot's bookshelf. |
| comet test pilot: Wild about Flying! David Marshall, Bruce Harris, 2003 A celebration of aviation's first 100 years. |
| comet test pilot: Britain's Greatest Aircraft Robert Jackson, 2007-09-20 During the last century the British aircraft industry created and produced many outstanding aeroplanes. These aircraft were world leaders in advanced technology, utilizing inventions by British engineers and scientists such as radar, the jet engine, the ejector seat and vertical take-off and landing. This book describes the design-history, development and operational careers of twenty-two legendary military and civil aeroplanes. Each one has played a significant part in aviation history.Sopwith Camel, SE.5, Bristol F2B Fighter and the Airco DH4 were all great successes in the relatively early days of flight. In the thirties the Bristol Bulldog fighter was an outstanding export success and the Short 'C' Class flying boat, later to become the Sunderland of World War II fame, pioneered the long-distance routes to the Empire. The pugnacious foreign policy of Hitler's Reich rung sudden alarm bells, rapid advances in fighting aircraft for the RAF became a premium objective. The brilliant Geodic construction of the Vickers Wellington bomber helped it survive terrible punishment throughout World War II, both the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire saved England from invasion and the Bristol Beaufighter, de Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster took the war to enemy soil. The Gloster Meteor became the word's first operational jet fighter and the English Electric Canberra became the RAF's first jet bomber and was manufactured under licence in the USA as the Martin B-57. In post-war years the Vickers Viscount became the world's first turboprop airliner and eventually became Britain's best selling commercial aircraft, whilst the de Havilland Comet became the world's first jet airliner. Despite Britain's recessionary years in the 50s and early 60s, military success came with the beautiful Hawker Hunter, the super-sonic Fairey Delta experimental aircraft that broke the World Air Speed Record and the Vickers Valiant that pioneered the operational techniques to deliver Britain's nuclear deterrent. Later, there followed the Mach 2 English Electric Lightning and the ill-fated TSR-2, the cancellation of which is still regarded as one of the greatest mistakes ever made in British aviation history. Finally, the Harrier, the world's first vertical take-off and landing jet fighter that is still in service and now only being built in the USA.Finally the Harrier, the world's first vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, still in service and now being further developed in the USA. |
| comet test pilot: Speedbird Robin Higham, 2013-05-30 Between 1939 and 1946 BOAC (the British Overseas Airways Corporation) was the nationalised airline of Great Britain - and between 1946 and 1974 as such it exclusively operated all long-haul British flights. With its iconic 'Speedbird' logo and its central role in the glamorous 'jet age' of the 1950s and 1960s, BOAC achieved a near cult-status with admirers around the globe. Yet, to date there has been no comprehensive history of the organisation, covering its structure, fleet and the role it played in the critical events of the age - from World War II to the end of empire, a period when BOAC played a pivotal part in projecting British political power, even as that power was waning. During World War II, BOAC operated a limited wartime service and prepared for the return of commercial flight in the postwar era. But it was in the service of Britain's colonies - and latterly the process of decolonisation - that BOAC achieved its most pivotal role. The development of flight technology enabled much faster connections between Britain and her imperial possessions - as the colonies prepared for independence BOAC ferried diplomats, politicians and colonial administrators between London and the far-flung corners of Africa and Asia in much faster times than had previously been possible. In this book, acclaimed historian Robin Higham presents a unique comprehensive study of BOAC from the early jet travel of the de Havilland Comet and the Vickers VC10 to the dawn of supersonic passenger aviation. Highly illustrated and meticulously researched using previously unseen sources, this book will be essential reading for all aviation enthusiasts and anyone interested in the history of modern Britain. |
| comet test pilot: Flying Magazine , 1952-06 |
| comet test pilot: From the Wright Brothers to Top Gun Michael Paris, 1995 The cinema and aviation developed alongside each other, and were both products of the technology and imagination of the early 20th century. This book examines the ways in which aeroplanes and flying have been portrayed in the many different genres within popular cinema, from Hollywood epics to comedy spoofs to modern tragedies. It covers over 500 American and British films, including, The Dambusters, The High and the Mighty, Airplane, Top Gun and The Shadowmakers. |
| comet test pilot: Comet! Graham M. Simons, 2013-11-14 “A masterpiece of the most diligent research and extraordinary detail and surely represents the definitive study of the Comet . . . a terrific book.”—Royal Aeronautical Society This volume from the respected and well-regarded aviation historian and author Graham Simons is “a solid book of such scope that you’ll probably consult it for a lot more than just Comet material” (SpeedReaders.info). Extensively illustrated throughout, Comet! features details lifted directly from enquiry and salvage reports, much of which have never been published before and offers a unique insight into the failures and tragedies that blighted the early days of development, laying down lessons that were ultimately to benefit later designs. As part of his research into the book, the author met and interviewed Harry Povey, the De Havilland Production Manager and John Cunningham, the Comet test pilot who would be the first to experience flight at the helms of the iconic craft. Both of these first-hand accounts are relayed in the book, adding a deeper sense of authenticity and a more personalized account of proceedings than facts and reports alone are able to achieve. Attention is also paid to the derivative Nimrod design, and the book features an interview that the author conducted with the aircraft commander of the last ever Nimrod operational flight. Interviews of this kind are supplemented by the author’s own narrative of proceedings, setting personal experience within historical context and exploring the themes and historical topics that the interviews evoke. “An outstanding account of the life of the Comet . . . all readers will find inspiration and achievement in the tale.”—Firetrench |
| comet test pilot: Contact! Bob Tuxford, 2016-08-05 A retired RAF Squadron Leader recounts his decades of service in Cold War combat zones across the globe, including his crucial role in the Falklands. Joining the Royal Air Force in 1970, Bob Tuxford distinguished himself as a fighter pilot, test pilot, squadron leader and flying instructor. In this enthralling memoir, he shares his story of active service across the world. Among other episodes, Tuxford details his exchange tour in the US Air Force and his courageous mission during the Falklands war that earned him an Air Force Cross for Gallantry. As a Victor tanker captain, Tuxford had the job of executing air-to-air refueling operations through the 1970s and early 1980s. This experience prepared him for the vital role he played in the first Black Buck mission during the Falklands campaign. Tuxford was the last Victor tanker to refuel the Vulcan piloted by Martin Withers before bombing commenced on that fateful night in 1982. Later in his career, Bob became the senior test pilot on the heavy aircraft test squadron at the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down. In Contact!, Tuxford offers an intimate look at life in the RAF while shedding light on the importance of tanker squadrons during the Cold War. |
| comet test pilot: Wildlife Photographer William David Thomas, 2008-01-08 Provides information on wildlife photographers, discussing the hard work and dangers involved. |
| comet test pilot: Air Reserve Gazette , 1949 |
| comet test pilot: De Havilland Comet Colin Higgs, 2018-11-30 “A first-rate review of the history of the world's first commercial jetliner, its early difficulties and their rectification” (Firetrench). The world got a little smaller in July 1949 when the first jet-powered airliner took to the skies barely four years after the end of the Second World War. Not only was the de Havilland Comet 1 was a lot faster than previous airliners, but it could also fly higher and further. It was packed with new technology but, perhaps most importantly for those early passengers, it was a quiet, luxurious, and even pleasant experience, something that could never be said for the noisy piston-engine aircraft that came before. The Comet’s leadership in jet travel for the future was assured until aircraft began crashing. The first ones were put down to pilot error but two disastrous events in 1954 grounded the fleet and Britain’s advantage over the rest of the world was lost. Boeing caught up with its ubiquitous 707 and the Comet was destined to become but a memory. However, rising from the ashes came a new Comet—one that was bigger and more powerful than before and designed for completely different roles. Where the first Comets had provided an expensive and plush way to travel for the rich few, the new Comet 4s carried more passengers to a multitude of destinations inevitably becoming key carriers for the early package holidaymakers. At the same time, they became vital strategic transports for the RAF as the British Empire receded. This book tells the full story of the world’s first jet-powered airliner, from its remarkable beginnings, through its early flight trials programme to its entry into service. The type’s military career is also covered, as is its construction; also included in this volume are details of the numerous variants produced and those still surviving as exhibits today. |
| comet test pilot: The Territorial Air Force Frances Louise Wilkinson, 2020-11-23 “What is almost certainly the definitive account of the Auxiliary Air Force, the Special Reserve and the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.” —Paul Nixon, Army Ancestry Research To date, little has been written about the Territorial Air Force as a voluntary military organization and no sustained analysis of its recruitment and social composition undertaken. Made up of three different parts, the Auxiliary Air Force, the Special Reserve and the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, these three separate and different groups have not featured significantly in existing literature. Along with a history of the Territorial Air Force, this book includes an analysis of how the volunteers joined, and what kinds of men were accepted into the organizations as both pilots and officers. The influences class and social status had on recruitment in the run up to the Second World War are also discussed. There is an exploration of the key differences between the Auxiliary squadrons and the SR squadrons, as well as the main reasons for the idea of merging the SR squadrons into the AAF squadrons. Briefly discussed are the newly formed University Air Squadrons that were set up to promote “air mindedness” and to stimulate an interest and research on matters aeronautical. Military voluntarism continued to play a key role in the defense of twentieth-century Britain, and class ceased to be the key determining factor in the recruitment of officers as the organizations faced new challenges. Within both the AAF and the RAFVR the pre-war impression of a gentlemen’s flying club finally gave way to a more meritocratic culture in the post-war world. |
| comet test pilot: Prototype Aircraft Development--Construction Differential United States. Congress. Senate. Intestate & Foreign Commerce, 1952 |
| comet test pilot: Nimrod Rise and Fall Tony Blackman, 2011-12-01 The episodic history of Britain’s infamous military reconnaissance aircraft, by the author of Vulcan Test Pilot and aviation expert who witnessed it all. The scrapping of the Nimrod program has been one of the most controversial events in the military aviation world for many years. For most of its operational life, from 1969 to date, its contribution to the defense of the realm and its role in offensive duties was, of necessity, often shrouded in secrecy. It was the “eye in the sky” that was vital to a host of activities—from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, to support of land battles throughout the world, to the Falklands campaign, to combating drug-running. Now the UK is bereft of such a multitasking reconnaissance aircraft. The full story of the Nimrod, and its significance, has now been told. Tony Blackman, who was there at the beginning, test-flew nearly every aircraft, and was at Kinloss on the very day the project was canceled, has written this timely book, covering every facet of its history, its weapons system developments, and its tragic accidents. He writes in an approachable way, making technical subjects understandable, but his conclusions will, inevitably, not be welcomed by everyone. |
| comet test pilot: NASA Activities , 1986 |
| comet test pilot: Taking Off: Memories of de Havilland at Hatfield Hatfield Local History Society, 2016 A collection of essays that tell the story of the de Havilland Aircraft Company through the eyes of some of those who were there at the time. The story starts in the early 1930s when the company first moved to Hatfield and continues through World War II and into the 1950s. |
| comet test pilot: American Aviation Daily , 1946-05 |
| comet test pilot: N A S A Activities U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1973 |
| comet test pilot: Safety is No Accident - From 'V' Bombers to Concorde John R W Smith, 2020-07-19 Flying, as everyone knows, is generally regarded as the safest means of transportation. Yet for that to be the case an enormous amount of testing is undertaken. Central to this, of course, are the test pilots, who fly the aircraft, but it is the men behind the scenes who deal with the technical aspects of the aircraft – the flight test observers and engineers. Numerous books have been written by Test Pilots, but few, if any, from the perspective of an Aeronautical Engineer working as Flight Test Observer/Engineer in partnership with the Test Pilot. This book is an account of the author’s flight-testing career, from the 1960s to early 1980s, at Avro and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). During the author’s time at Avro, he flew on the development and certification test flights of the Avro 748, 748MF, Shackletons, Nimrod and Handley-Page Victor tanker. In the CAA, his role turned to regulation, making flight test assessments of manufacturer’s prototypes and production aircraft, to check compliance with the CAA’s flight safety requirements. The scope ranged from single-engine light aircraft to large civil transport aircraft. It involved frequent visits to foreign manufacturers and also included his participation in the CAA’s Concorde certification flight test programme. Flight testing involves risk. Advancements in the understanding of aerodynamics and an increasingly professional approach to risk management improved safety, but it would never be risk-free. Several of the author’s close friends and colleagues died in flight test accidents during this period of rapid aeronautical development; all on civil aircraft types. It is because of such people that the millions of flights undertaken each year are trouble-free. |
| comet test pilot: American Aviation , 1944 Issues for include Annual air transport progress issue. |
| comet test pilot: A Willingness to Die Brian Kingcome, 2016-08-04 In 1938 Brian Kingcome joined the RAF with a permanent commission and was posted to No 65 Fighter Squadron at Hornchurch, soon to be equipped with the Spitfire, and so it came about that Brian flew the Spitfire throughout the war. He became acting CO for No 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill and led over sixty operations, achieving the highest success rate of any squadron in the Battle of Britain. In May 1943 Brian joined Desert Air Force in Malta and took command of 244 Wing. At this time he was confirmed Flight Lieutenant, acting Squadron Leader, acting Wing Commander and at twenty-five was one of the youngest Group Captains in the Royal Air Force. Brian Kingcome may have been the last Battle of Britain pilot of repute to put his extraordinary story into print; looked upon by other members of his squadron as possibly their finest pilot, his nonetheless unassuming memoirs are related with a subtle and compassionate regard for a generation who were, as he felt, born to a specific task. Brian's memoirs have been edited and introduced by Peter Ford, ex-National Serviceman in Malaya. |
| comet test pilot: Flight International , 1962-07 |
Comet - Wikipedia
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that warms and begins to release gases when passing close to the Sun, a process called outgassing. This produces an extended, …
Comets - Science@NASA
Apr 24, 2025 · Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock, and dust that orbit the Sun. When frozen, they are the size of a small town. When a comet's orbit brings it close to the …
What Is a Comet? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Jun 5, 2025 · A comet has two tails that get longer the closer it gets to the Sun. Both tails are always directed away from the Sun. The ion tail (blue) always points directly away from the …
Comet | Definition, Composition, & Facts | Britannica
Jun 7, 2025 · comet, a small body orbiting the Sun with a substantial fraction of its composition made up of volatile ices. When a comet comes close to the Sun, the ices sublimate (go directly …
Comets: Everything you need to know | Space
Jul 31, 2023 · Comets are icy leftovers from the formation of the solar system. Explore these 'dirty snowballs' in more detail with our ultimate comet guide.
What Are Comets | What Does a Comet Look Like - Star Walk
May 17, 2025 · A comet is a space object of ice and dust that orbits the Sun. When a comet is in the inner Solar System, it can be seen in the sky as a blurry spot with a tail. What are comets …
Comet: Definition, Tails, Facts, Orbit, Visibility, Difference
Sep 12, 2024 · Comet appearance varies from a bright fuzzy ball with a tail to a faint diffuse patch in the sky. Distinctive comas and tails stretching millions of kilometers characterize many …
Comets are icy balls of gas, dust and rock - EarthSky
Nov 28, 2024 · In fact, they develop giant glowing heads – called a comet’s coma – that may be larger than most planets. And indeed, they sprout their long comet tails that stretch millions of …
About Comets - Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)
Oct 31, 2012 · What are the different parts of a comet? Every comet has a nucleus, a stable, porous central mass of ice, gas, and dust that if often between 1 and 10 kilometers (0.6 to 6 …
Comets explained: An essential guide to the snow cones of space
Oct 16, 2023 · As a comet moves close to the Sun, it heats up. The various frozen gases and molecules making up the comet change directly from solid ice to gas in a process called …
Comet - Wikipedia
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that warms and begins to release gases when passing close to the Sun, a process called outgassing. This produces an extended, …
Comets - Science@NASA
Apr 24, 2025 · Comets are cosmic snowballs of frozen gases, rock, and dust that orbit the Sun. When frozen, they are the size of a small town. When a comet's orbit brings it close to the …
What Is a Comet? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Jun 5, 2025 · A comet has two tails that get longer the closer it gets to the Sun. Both tails are always directed away from the Sun. The ion tail (blue) always points directly away from the …
Comet | Definition, Composition, & Facts | Britannica
Jun 7, 2025 · comet, a small body orbiting the Sun with a substantial fraction of its composition made up of volatile ices. When a comet comes close to the Sun, the ices sublimate (go directly …
Comets: Everything you need to know | Space
Jul 31, 2023 · Comets are icy leftovers from the formation of the solar system. Explore these 'dirty snowballs' in more detail with our ultimate comet guide.
What Are Comets | What Does a Comet Look Like - Star Walk
May 17, 2025 · A comet is a space object of ice and dust that orbits the Sun. When a comet is in the inner Solar System, it can be seen in the sky as a blurry spot with a tail. What are comets …
Comet: Definition, Tails, Facts, Orbit, Visibility, Difference
Sep 12, 2024 · Comet appearance varies from a bright fuzzy ball with a tail to a faint diffuse patch in the sky. Distinctive comas and tails stretching millions of kilometers characterize many …
Comets are icy balls of gas, dust and rock - EarthSky
Nov 28, 2024 · In fact, they develop giant glowing heads – called a comet’s coma – that may be larger than most planets. And indeed, they sprout their long comet tails that stretch millions of …
About Comets - Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)
Oct 31, 2012 · What are the different parts of a comet? Every comet has a nucleus, a stable, porous central mass of ice, gas, and dust that if often between 1 and 10 kilometers (0.6 to 6 …
Comets explained: An essential guide to the snow cones of space
Oct 16, 2023 · As a comet moves close to the Sun, it heats up. The various frozen gases and molecules making up the comet change directly from solid ice to gas in a process called …
