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 Lockheed Martin’s second X-35 concept demonstrator aircraft for the JSF program successfully completed structural loads testing at company facilities in Palmdale, California. A test fixture with ninety hydraulic actuators applied stresses to different parts of the airplane to simulate in-flight aerodynamic pressure loads. The aircraft tested is the X-35C, which is configured as the US Navy carrier variant and is the second demonstrator aircraft assembled. Because the different variants are structurally very similar, the load-test results apply to all three demonstrator variants.
The aircraft was tested to 100 percent of design limit load — minus three g’s and plus eight g’s — effectively stressing the wings to carry about 180,000 pounds, or the weight of fifty mid-size automobiles. Test conditions also included wing torsional testing that represents aircraft rolling maneuvers. Testing included operating the propulsion doors for the X-35B STOVL configuration. |
