first serial Eurofighter flight !!!!

These are the latest NEW’s from the Eurofighter-homepage !!!!

“Eurofighter Typhoon First Production Aircraft Flies in Italy 05/04/02

Eurofighter GmbH today announced the successful maiden flight of Instrumented Production Aircraft (IPA) 2 at Alenia Aeronautica, Italy. This event marks a significant step forward in realising the delivery of the production standard Eurofighter Typhoon Weapon System to the four partner nations in Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. First flight of IPA1 at BAE SYSTEMS, UK and IPA 2 at EADS-D Germany are imminent. The three IPAs will then join the existing seven Eurofighter Typhoon Development Aircraft (DA) in completing flight testing and certification ahead of first customer deliveries later in the year.

Commenting on the event, Bob Haslam, Managing Director Eurofighter GmbH stated ‘The first flight of IPA 2 is an important stage in the Eurofighter Typhoon programme. It serves as a mark of our progress and commitment to delivering production standard aircraft to our customers. We have now proven our production manufacturing techniques and processes and must maintain this drive and commitment to meet the expectation of our customers in delivering service aircraft in 2002.’

Alenia Aeronautica
Eurofighter Typhoon IPA 2
Caselle – 05 April 2002 1240h CET
Eurofighter Typhoon IPA 2 successfully completed its first flight today at Caselle Airport in Turin, the first production aircraft to fly in the European Typhoon fighter family. IPA 2 was assembled at Caselle by Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica Company, partner in the Eurofighter consortium.

Alenia Aeronautica are directly responsible for providing left-hand wings and rear fuselages (in conjunction with BAE SYSTEMS) for all production Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.

The aircraft, an instrumented twin-seater for flight test evaluation of the production standard weapon system, took off at 1240h CET from the Alenia Aeronautica plant at Caselle (Turin), piloted by Com.te Maurizio Cheli, Alenia’s Chief Test Pilot for combat aircraft, and landed after 25 minutes. A second successful engine shakedown flight was undertaken later in the afternoon lasting approx. 25 minutes.

The pilot’s comments on the flight characteristics of the Typhoon were very positive: Com.te Cheli said, “the aircraft has confirmed its excellent handling at first flight, showing easy maneuverability and exceptional performance:”

Eurofighter Typhoon IPA 2 is the first aircraft to fly covered by an umbrella production contract for 620 aircraft. The Italian Air Force will receive 121 aircraft in both single-seat and twin seat configurations.

Filippo Bagnato, Managing Director of Alenia Aeronautica, remarked: “Thanks to the commitment of the workforce and engineers of Alenia Aeronautica, the Eurofighter Partner Companies and the Air Forces of the four countries, the result we have achieved today is extremely meaningful for the European aeronautic industry”

The Eurofighter programme, represents the greatest European effort in the defence aircraft sector. For Eurofighter this represents about 20,000 people in Italy (120,00 in Europe), in the defence and aerospace industry as well as other supplier and support activities.

EADS Military Aircraft
Eurofighter Typhoon IPA 3
Manching
The first German series production Eurofighter Typhoon IPA 3 is at an advanced stage of readiness and is expected to make a first flight within the next few days.

Commenting on IPA 2 first flight and pre-flight checks for IPA 3 first flight, Aloysius Rauen, President and CEO of EADS Military Aircraft, highlighted the contribution of the Eurofighter team for their determination and effort in realising these important milestones.

“The Eurofighter Typhoon prototype first flight took place at Manching and it is appropriate that we mark history in the Eurofighter programme as a common effort with major activities underway for IPA flights in three of the four nations. With our Eurofighter Partners we have taken many single steps to achieve a very positive result for the programme. At the same time I must emphasize the tremendous efforts undertaken by the partners and EADS staff at Manching including our pilots and technicians in realising our goal.’

IPA 3’s flight will mark an important step forward in our effort to deliver the first production standard aircraft in the second half of 2002.”

EADS-D are directly responsible for providing all centre fuselages for production Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.

BAE SYSTEMS
Eurofighter Typhoon IPA 1
Warton
IPA1, the UK’s first Instrumented Production Aircraft, is at an advanced stage of readiness ahead of maiden flight. IPA 1, based at BAE SYSTEMS, Warton, has performed the majority of the systems clearance testing for the IPA fleet to allow the successful first flights of IPA 2 and 3.

IPA 1 will make it first flight shortly and, as a result of the clearance work already undertaken will be at a very mature standard on entering the flight test programme.

Ross Bradley, Managing Director Eurofighter at BAE SYSTEMS commented ‘As a four nation programme each of the partners has brought different skills to bear in realising the first flights of the IPA fleet. I am proud of the contribution of BAE SYSTEMS employees based at different sites across Europe in this process. I look forward to the first flight of IPA 1.’

BAE SYSTEMS are directly responsible for providing all front fuselages, fins and rear fuselages (in conjunction with Alenia Aeronautica) for production Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.”

http://www.eurofighter.com/news/latestnews.asp

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