Page 3 - Aerotech News and Review, April 2, 2021

GROUND, from 1
Capt. Cameron Clites, TPS Class that have been walking these streets
20-B student. “Today is just kind of and walking the hallways.”
a calibration day for our team to get “It really is humbling…it’s crazy to
some good ground test data at 1 G, think that it’s been around since the
zero ground speed, and see if we’re 50s, we’re still using it today. And
going to have a good path forward the aircraft’s been around just as long,
over the next two weeks.” but here we are in 2021 testing some-
The T-38 pilot progressed through
different levels of thrust while noting thing new, something exciting for us
throttle position while thrust readings at least, and getting to use something
in the control room were annotated. that I’m sure people’s grandfathers
The data collected at ground facili- have been using, is pretty cool, pretty
ties is essential for engineers and test unique.”
pilots alike. It provides them with in- Since entering into service for
formation much more accurately than the test enterprise in the late 1950s,
simulated computer modeling. the horizontal thrust stand has seen
“It’s given us raw thrust data that hundreds of engineers, test pilots
we could not collect otherwise,” Cli- and airframes. Supporting the thrust
tes said. “To actually come out and stand operations and “getting the job
be able to gather empirical data…it’s done providing customers with the
critical. We definitely couldn’t do this data they need in a timely fashion,” is
part of the test plan without a facility still as rewarding as ever, Peddecord
like this.” said. More importantly however, he is
Besides the valuable test data it
provides, the history and importance also ensuring the thrust stand’s legacy
of the thrust stand is not lost on Clites, continues with a new generation of
who recognizes the role it has played engineers.
in shaping Edwards AFB’s legacy. “This is not only an active data
“It’s very cool, I think you could collection run that we’re doing right
Air Force photographs by Joshua Miller now, it’s also a training session,” Ped-
Gary Peddecord, 812th Aircraft Instrumentation Test Squadron, and Capt. Cameron Clites, Air Force Test Pilot School say that about nearly almost any build- decord said. “Today, a rewarding as-
class 20-B student, monitor an engine test run at the Installed Engine Test Facility Horizontal Thrust Stand control room ing here on Edwards,” he said. “A lot
at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., March 5, 2021. of history, a lot of flight test history; pect is training other people to carry
just the names that you hear of people on for me.”

exotic aircraft, pictures of which the aircraft’s not going anywhere.
adorn the control room’s walls. Those were built as part of an F/A-18 Air Force Test Pilot School
Besides fighters, the facility can program for us many years ago. Any students prepare to conduct a
also test tankers, bombers, transport fighter type aircraft…we’ve pretty data collection test run at the
and cargo aircraft, ranging in size much tested them all using these or- Installed Engine Test Facility
from “Cessna to C-5,” Peddecord ange aircraft boot chocks.” Horizontal Thrust Stand at
added. During a recent thrust test opera- Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Aircraft on the stand are held in tion, Peddecord and his team provided
place by specialized chocks. Ped- their expertise to Air Force Test Pilot
decord explained that the stand is able School students with a T-38 as a part
to accommodate any jet aircraft with of their test management project. A
a “tri-cycle” style landing gear con- small team of students utilized the fa-
figuration. The chocks are, of course, cility with one student in the control
painted the ubiquitous “test orange.” room and two on the aircraft.
“We call those ‘boot chocks,’ be- “This is kicking off our testing that
cause they are kind of like boots on we’re going to be doing. We’re out
your feet,” he explained. “Boots on here with the T 38 on the engine run
the main landing gear of an aircraft; pad getting some ground data,” said

AMC TES Det. 3 welcomes new commander

by Susan G. Gotta in AMC, performing operationally representative
Edwards AFB, Calif. test and evaluation, providing leadership with ob-
jective data and analysis and proven solutions for
Maj. Jacob C. Johnson assumed command of De- the warfighter. Recent tests range from evaluat-
tachment 3 Air Mobility Command Test and Evalu- ing the effectiveness of procedures for deploying
ation Squadron in an Assumption of Command cer- marker flares that pinpoint the locations of NASA
emony at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., March 15, space crew recoveries, to evaluating the suitability
2021. of replacement cargo pallets on AMC aircraft, and
Officiating the ceremony was Lt. Col. Maryann extensive mission planning software upgrade as-
L. Karlen, commander, AMC Test and Evaluation sessments. AMCTES conducts tests worldwide in
Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., as operationally representative a manner as possible,
who passed the guidon signifying the transfer of while ensuring all safety protocols are followed.
command to Johnson.
In attendance at the ceremony with Johnson was The focus of Det. 3 is on integrating operational
his wife, Lisa. The Johnsons have been AMCTES and developmental test to shorten the time to put
“Terrapins” since 2017, and recently moved from proven solutions in warfighters’ hands. Current
New Jersey to California to accept this command. projects include supporting the KC-46A Initial Op-
Johnson is no stranger to operational test; he was erational Test & Evaluation, integrating with test
Operations Superintendent, Assistant Director of units at Edwards AFB from the 418th Flight Test
Operations, Command Senior Test Director, and Squadron to Air Force Operational Test and Evalu-
KC-135R/T Instructor Pilot at AMCTES. ation Center Det. 5, and many others.
In his remarks, Johnson stated that he “is honored “I am so happy to have ‘one of our own’ here at Air Force photograph by Senior Master Sgt. Alexander Berry
to be a part of Det. 3 and to continue his association Det 3. Major Johnson has been an incredible asset Maj. Jacob C. Johnson, the new commander of Detachment 3 Air Mobility Command
with AMCTES.” He hopes to “expand on the fine at AMCTES, and will surely continue to provide his Test and Evaluation Squadron, receives the unit guidon from Lt. Col. Maryann Karlen,
AMC TES commander, during an Assumption of Command ceremony March 15, 2021,
work that the Det. has been doing at Edwards.” astute and practical knowledge of operational test at at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
AMCTES is the sole operational test squadron the Det.,” Karlen said.

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