A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MoTIS TEST PILOT ON THE HA-75 ONYX TEST PROJECT...
MoTIS TEST PILOT-WILLIAM LECLAIR
Well the day starts with a hot cup of coffee and a soft donut. I get to the MoTIS test facility at about 6:30A.M and check my email to see what's on the test schedule for the day. Today I find out that I will be having great fun in the HA-75 ONYX a new recon aircraft being designed for the Air Force. Our staff makes sure that we have top security clearance for today's mission. I dawn my flight suite and then its down to business. I am driven out to the flight line by the CEO at MoTIS and a level one design engineer and given my standard pre-flight briefing and mission objectives and because this is a military recon aircraft and not a general aviation concept aircraft secrecy is job one We get our weather briefings from the national weather service and then its time to get the aircraft pre-flighted and ready to start the day of flying!
I get out to the craft by myself and the days tasks start to set in. Even though I been doing this job for years , test flying concept aircraft that is, I still get excited to hear the engines warm up!
I get the lead out and get the engines pre-warmed and ready for a standard cold start Just look at those gauges!!! .
I get this big bird in the air today about 8:30A.M. and the air is just as crisp and smooth as it can be. I start a gentle climb up to my cruise altitude today of FL 41,000ft. I am some what of a safe flyer but the test flight is going so well I decide to go inverted to stress test her!!!
An inverted flight up to FL 41 at mach .88 you have to try it some times!!! The sun glare was in my eyes the whole way
The standard flight test that we conduct at MoTIS can range from complex stall recovery all the way to major G force testing to determine how many G's an aircraft can take with in standard operating airspeeds. Today I am testing the flame out altitude that the engines shut down at and the glide to weight ratios on the HA-75 ONYX. We are on the west cost for this flight flying away from the sun rise into the dark and that is just about the coolest thing I do in my cockpit office, watching day turn into night after I just took off in the light!!! Well standard flight test are some what secret beyond that so I will finish testing and when its time to land I will turn the camera back on.
Well I am back and today's flight is just about over and I an beat. I pulled so many G's that I need a nap when I get on the ground. Haha! Just joking I live to pull G's as a matter of fact G is my middle name! This aircraft will become the favorite of many Air Force pilots I am sure of it! She handles like a true lady but has the power of a lion!
Well today's flight is just about over as I said and I am lining up for a landing. I will file all of the data into the MoTIS test computer and print a full report on any handling problems of bugs with the craft. The fun part of my job is over when I land. HAHA!
Well today's flight was a safe one and I live to fly another day. If you think you have what it takes to do my job then apply and lets do lunch at 43,000 while eating a donut... See yah next time and I hope you enjoyed a ride along with a MoTIS test pilot. This is Billy Leclair signing out.
NOTE: THE HA-75 ONYX IS A NEW CONCEPT AIRCRAFT DESIGNED AND BUILT BY MoTIS VJD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
THANK YOU
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