What Is an Air Force Flight Test?
An Air Force flight test is a process by which a military organization conducts experimental flights to ensure the design and systems of an aircraft are functioning. In practice, an Air Force flight test is designed to figure out the limitations and possibilities of a piece of equipment. Since the beginning of the Cold War, the importance of Air Force flight tests has enabled an increase in aviation technology as well as breaking many world speed records. In the United States, the Air Force Flight Test Center is the base operation which conducts the organization’s military flight test operations. It is headquartered at Edwards Air Force Base and divided into two segments: the 95th Air Base Wing and the 412th Test Wing. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also maintains a strong presence involved with the Air Force Flight Test Center, operating the Dryden Flight Research Center. Together, the US Air Force and NASA work to develop a variety of aircraft.
