WTD 61 test pilots are certified to fly prototype
aircraft, including programme elements that
go up to and beyond the machine’s technical
limits. They fly at least 70 hours annually to
remain qualified, but this total is not limited
to a specific aircraft type. The unit employs
around 30 test pilots, and its small aircraft fleet
and limited number of test projects sometimes
makes it difficult for all to achieve the required
annual flying hours. To do so, pilots regularly
join normal Luftwaffe units, or complete ‘flying
hour’ contracts within civil companies or
organisations. There are exchange agreements
with international test pilot schools, including
the US Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF
TPS) at Edwards Air Force Base, California
and the United States Naval Test Pilot School
(USNTPS) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River,
Maryland, the Empire Test Pilots’ School at
MOD Boscombe Down in the UK and EPNER
(the École du Personnel Navigant d’Essais et
de Réception, the French test pilot school)
at Istres. These alliances make it possible
for student test pilots to join WTD 61 to gain
‘on-scene’ experience while allowing the
German unit’s pilots to make use of aircraft
at other establishments to stay qualified.Current projects
As a centre of technical expertise, WTD 61
executes tasks outlined in a project
management plan issued by the Bundesamt
für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und
Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw, Federal
Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information
Technology and In-Service Support) on behalf
of the German Federal Ministry of Defence.
Some of the unit’s recent projects include:- A400M: self-defence protection system,
air-to-air refuelling of the Tornado, night-
vision system and advanced air-dropping- H145 LUH SOF (Light Utility Helicopter
Special Operations Forces): support
of infrared flare trials, fast-roping,
rappelling and night vision system - UH Tiger (Unterstützungshubschrauber,
Support Helicopter): supporting Stinger
missile-firing trials in Vidsel, Sweden - Eurofighter: ODIN (Operational
Developments In time for NATO) project,
including air-to-ground trials with GBU-48
precision-guided bombs (carried out
in Sweden) and software upgrade - Tornado: Avionics System Software Tornado
Ada (ASSTA) 3.1 upgrade programme - Airbus A319CJ: self-defence protection system
- NH90: modification of new medical equipment
(with a similar project running in
parallel with the Transall) - Transall: increasing
paratrooper weight loading.
The unit also works on
unmanned aerial system
projects and may in future
see a revival of the EuroHawk,
- H145 LUH SOF (Light Utility Helicopter
as a pure test programme. When AFM
visited this was still to be finalised pending
establishment of a coalition government
(the latter being achieved on February 7).
Another potential project could investigate the
integrated or combined flying of advanced
unmanned aerial systems with fighter aircraft.Eurofi ghter IPA 3
The sole Eurofighter EF2000 at WTD 61 is
instrumented production aircraft (IPA) 3.
Besides the ODIN project, the jet is used as
a test bed for a project to extend the life of
the brake parachute. In the future, two more
IPAs are expected to join WTD 61: IPAs 7
and IPA 8 are already at Manching but are
still operated by Airbus Defence and
Space. IPA 3 differs from standard
production aircraft, thanks to its
advanced metrological flight-
test instrumentation, and has
additional orange wiring to
reflect its test role. To gain
space for test equipment,NH90: modification of new medical equipment
(with a similar project running inand IPA 8 are already at Manching but are
still operated by Airbus Defence and
Space. IPA 3 differs from standard
production aircraft, thanks to its
advanced metrological flight-
test instrumentation, and has
additional orange wiring to
reflect its test role. To gain
space for test equipment,Above: At the time of AFM’s visit, two-seat, instrumented EF2000 IPA 3 98+03 (PT003) was the only Eurofi ghter
permanently assigned to WTD 61. It will be joined by IPA 7 and IPA 8, currently both with Airbus. Peter ten Berg96 // MAY 2018 #362 http://www.airforcesmonthly.comFlight test focus