Initial Aerodynamic Flight Testing Successfully Completed Outside Perth

Our scale proof-of-concept aircraft has successfully completed its initial flight testing program outside Perth, Western Australia.

The comprehensive test flight program included:

• Full-power take-off
• Climb performance testing
• High- and low-speed flight runs
• Assessment of longitudinal, lateral, and directional static stability
• Stall and recovery procedures
• Dutch roll evaluation
• Spin resistance testing
• Full aileron roll manoeuvres
• Approach and landing assessments

The testing campaign was 99% successful, with the only minor issue relating to the temporary undercarriage wheels digging into the grass runway surface. This will be resolved on the full-scale prototype through the use of larger wheels specifically designed for rough-field operations.

The BD150 wing design incorporates several advanced aerodynamic features, including washout, twist, and camber. We were extremely pleased to see the flight trials closely validate our Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling, confirming that the aircraft’s real-world performance aligned almost perfectly with our predictions.

With the third-scale aircraft delivering highly successful results, the project will now move directly into construction of the full-size prototype.