Textron AirLand's Scorpion completes additional test flights

Textron AirLand, LLC, a joint venture between Textron Inc. and AirLand Enterprises, LLC, today announced that the Scorpion Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)/Strike aircraft completed additional test flights in January and February. The most recent test flight occurred on February 13.

The Scorpion team is planning to conduct several hundred hours of additional flight tests in 2014, each flight targeting specific objectives pushing the aircraft's airspeed, altitude, and performance envelope. “Overall, we've had very positive results through the initial test flights. In these early flights, we have evaluated the aircraft performance and tested a wide range of mechanical and electronic systems. The Scorpion is a very agile platform and I'm confident in the airframe as we continue through the test and evaluation phase,” commented Dan Hinson, chief test pilot for the Scorpion team and 23-year veteran Navy pilot.

Most of the test flights will be conducted at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, and the team is planning numerous flights outside of the area.

Textron AirLand is pursuing sales opportunities with US military branches as well as a number of US partner nations. The company is seeking market license and export approvals for additional opportunities, driven by early interest from specific US partner nations.

Textron AirLand is showcasing the Scorpion at major defense industry exhibitions across the globe. In February, Scorpion was featured in a static display at the Singapore Airshow, recognized as Asia's largest air show, and at DefExpo 2014, India's largest annual defense conference. At the Air Force Air Warfare Symposium on February 20th, the Scorpion will be discussed as part of an “Adapting for the Future” forum in which Textron CEO Scott Donnelly and other senior aviation executives will serve as the forum's panelists; and in March, Scorpion will be represented at FIDAE 2014, Chile's leading defense solutions exposition, attracting military leaders from many Latin American countries.