F-35 FY11 OPEVAL Report

It is 7 times longer than the F-22 report. Some things to keep in mind: the F-22 bugs are about comparable in number to historical trends when rolling out new aircraft, I don't remember how much the F-35 exceeds historical predictions in terms of bugs but it is at least double. Also, F-35s are being produced and delivered right now even while it's still undergoing testing, which is pretty much universally known as a Bad Idea. The good news is that the limited production run is only for American forces so other countries should get something more mature.

Anyways, here are my favourite bulletpoints from this report:

- The program previously discovered deficient aircraft braking performance during landing on wet runway surfaces. The program tested new brake control unit hardware and software intended to improve performance. The program accelerated testing of the capability to stop the aircraft after landing on wet runway surfaces to 2011 to support the military flight release for aircraft ferried to the training center. Changes to the wheel brake controller improved this capability, but the program has not determined if the deficiency is resolved. Effective use of the latest design depends on the adequacy of simulations used to train pilots in maintaining directional control while activating differential braking. This requires precise control of brake pedal deflection, which will be difficult if not impossible during non-instrumented flight.

- Fuel dump tests found that fuel migrated back into the aircraft, similar to results discovered on F-35B test aircraft. This has the potential to create an unsafe condition.

It was at this point I realized that it's going to be like this for the next 6 pages.

D=

So change of tactics, I am going to describe every blurb in less than 5 words:

Engine restart failures, heat damage from afterburners, actuator failures, door lock wear, airframe cracks, doors separated in flight, door swivel wear, door cracking, drive shaft inadequate, clutch overheat, roll-nozzle overheat, dangerous weight margins, control software problems, transonic issues, actuator overheat, gear performance issues, tail-hook inadequate, hold-bar weak, spontaneous loss of GPS/INS, helmet displays unreadable, low mission system capabilities, poor nightvision, helmet processor weak, inaccurate head tracking, panoramic cockpit display overheat (!), startup time/stability poor, shortfalls in maneuvering performance, part life short, low reliability, fire protection problems, support hardware problems.

The risks of concurrent development, testing, and production are highlighted by the experience with structural testing. Since most flight testing remains to be completed, the potential for more discoveries exist. The program predicts another 22 major discoveries and 43 moderate discoveries within SDD.

Sounds promising.

And when the dust settled, the mug lay broken, and neither man could attest to being, "The Word's Greatest Physicist"

10:10
Peter ] ] ] ] ]
"The reason for this drift has eluded physicists who have dedicated their careers to the SI unit of mass. No plausible mechanism has been proposed to explain either a steady decrease in the mass of the IPK, or an increase in that of its replicas dispersed throughout the world."
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU CAN DEDICATE A CAREER TO THIS

10:10
k.s.hood
I guess you don't know how academics work then
Narrowest fields ever

10:10
Peter ] ] ] ] ]
I think the thing that gets me is
physicists
multiple

10:10
k.s.hood
Well, its probably less than 10
I want to believe there are precisely two
Who both hate each other

10:11
Peter ] ] ] ] ]
hahaha
you and I we should write a novel

10:11
k.s.hood
Hopefully your writing skills are better than mine

10:12
Peter ] ] ] ] ]
it'll be about the theft of the international kilogram
from the perspectives of both rival physicists

10:12
k.s.hood
Ha

10:12
Peter ] ] ] ] ]
we will each assume the viewpoint of one
the conclusion would be
it was stolen by a physicist
working on metres
to secure more grant money
to build the perfect metre

10:14
k.s.hood
That sounds suitably ridiculous
The general public might even find it plausible
The solution is of course, to note that the metre scientist did something that broke academic integrity, ruining his career
This something will not be related to stealing the prototype

10:20
Peter ] ] ] ] ]
"…and he looked upon his creation with trebidation, his pièce de résistance, a metre perfect in every way. He savoured it, caressing its body with his eyes, gently. This, he thought, will finally bring him the citations he deserved."
10:21
I think there should be explosions somewhere
also he drops his metre
altering its atomic configuration
it will never be perfect again
some things are not for the realm of men

Art of Deception

I liked it when the Chinese bought their first former Soviet aircraft carrier claiming they were going to make it into a tourist attraction and nobody believed them.

Anyways it opened as a hotel recently.

I liked it when the Chinese bought their second aircraft carrier and everybody thought it was going to be turned into a casino.

They actually refurbished that one as an aircraft carrier.