TYPHOON TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE
TEST PILOT Mark Bowman says he's looking forward to putting his Eurofighter Typhoon through its paces in the skies over RAF Fairford at this weekend's Royal International Air Tattoo.
With the RAF's Typhoon jets occupied with missions over Libya, the task has fallen to the aircraft's manufacturer BAE Systems to show off the multi-role platform at the Air Tattoo.
Mark, who is BAE Systems' chief test pilot and a former RAF Harrier pilot, says he is looking forward to showing off the aircraft in front of the Fairford crowds. Normally when fighters display at the Air Tattoo, they are shown off in what is called a "clean" configuration, devoid of fuel tanks or weapons, making them lighter and faster. Mark points out that, this year, the aircraft will be carrying out its demonstration loaded up with an instrumented payload of fuel tanks, missiles and bombs.
He says: "The configuration in which the aircraft will be flown this weekend is very similar to that being used by the RAF over Libya, demonstrating the aircraft's impressive performance and agility."
The test pilot says the secret to the Typhoon's abilities is its flight controls computers which give the pilot what he calls "carefree handling". He adds: "Whatever the pilot is doing with the stick and the throttle, the aircraft flight control system will work to give the best performance."
Mark is also keen to point out that the demonstration will show the public that British engineering industry is still a leading light in world aviation. "I think the display will confirm to the public that British industry is delivering technological capability," he adds.
E-tickets are still available for Air Tattoo Sunday (up to 9pm tonight) from the Air Tattoo website, here.
Tickets will not be available at the gate but can still be bought, subject to availability, at branches of Barclays Bank, Little Chefs and at Tourist Information Centres.
July 16, 2011
