Testing components of supersonic aircraft in flight can be problematic, and the refined wing design of Aerion’s developmental supersonic business jet (SSBJ) is a case in point. The 40-inch by 80-inch redesigned airfoil section is attached to the belly of a NASA F-15B to test for aerodynamic and temperature effects at speeds up to Mach 2.0.
But a failure of the F-15’s afterburner has delayed the tests, which began on January 31 and are expected to consist of 10 flights over six to eight weeks. Due to budget constraints, repairs to the F-15 could take up to a month.
