by Robert T.
I had the extreme pleasure of leading two unique test programs in the
mid- to late-1990s. I’d like to share about two of them. We ran escape system tests
(canopy jettison and ejection seat) on the F-22 at 600 knots on the rocket sled
track at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The test covered about seven
miles of the track, and the dummy survived. We also ran extreme temperature
tests on the C-130J at the climatic lab at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. We
tested cold to -65 degrees Fahrenheit and hot to +120 degrees Fahrenheit with
solar added. Mechanics changed a fuel pump in the wing at -40 degrees and
thought it was warm! By the way, flight testing C-130Js, C-5s and P-3s wasn't
too shabby either!
