Saab conducts wind tunnel tests with possible future European training aircraft

There is a need in Europe to develop a new training aircraft at the beginning of the next decade. Saab is taking part in studies and has now conducted wind tunnel tests using a prototype that is contributing to the development of a possible future European training aircraft.

Saab Aerospace is working actively within a European industrial group which aims to develop both a future European pilot training concept, as well as a possible European training aircraft. In addition to Saab Aerospace’s training aircraft proposal, a number of other concepts have been put forward by other participants in the Eurotraining study.

"We have every hope that our concept will be able to form the basis for the new training aircraft. The reason for this is that we have designed the aircraft to constitute a cost-effective component in a future system, in which a mixture of actual aircraft and simulators are used. The knowledge from Gripen regarding both aeronautics and system technology has contributed greatly to the successful result," says Tomas Karlsson, Programme Manager for Eurotraining within Saab Aerospace.

Using a wind tunnel model of a possible training aircraft, tests are currently being conducted at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) in Stockholm. The wind tunnel model has been built on a scale of 1:14 and has been constructed under the same conditions as equivalent models for the Gripen. This is a complex model made of steel, weighing 21 kg and with many advanced details such as a throughflow air scoop and small pressure holes for measuring air pressure. The purpose of the tests is to study the flight envelope, i.e. aerodynamic forces and torque on the aircraft. The training aircraft is intended to be able to fly at just below the speed of sound, which has meant that the model has been subjected to many powerful forces during the tests

The training aircraft study is a National Aeronautical Research Programme (NFFP). The purpose of the study is to design and investigate a possible concept for a future training aircraft. This preliminary study confirms Saab Aerospace’s position as one of the leading industries in the aviation sector. The entire study has taken place in collaboration with FOI/FFA and is expected to be concluded in March next year.

Saab is one of the world’s leading high-technology companies, with its main operations focusing on defence, aviation and space. The Group covers a broad spectrum of competence and capability in systems integration.

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