Forca Aerea Brasileira, December 18, 2018 - Between December 10 to 21, 2018, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) to carry out the first phase of the Testing Campaign for in-flight refueling (REVO) certification of the H-36 Caracal helicopter, FAB operational version, with the KC-130H tanker aircraft, ensuring Brazil as the first country in South America with this capacity.
The operation take place at Ala 11 (Galeão), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), in order to certify both in daytime and night conditions (assisted with NVG and unassisted). In this way, specific evaluations of both aircraft will be conducted to determine a safe envelope containing speed, altitude and specific configurations.
The coordination of the campaign is carried out by the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), which participates with two of its units: the Institute of Industrial Development and Coordination (IFI), a military organization that acts in the certification of quality management systems and the Institute Research and Testing in Flight (IPEV), which since 2014 has been working on the theoretical forecasts and preparation of this campaign.
In August of this year, approximately 10 military personnel involved in the operation conducted an exchange with the United States Air Force (USAF), where it was possible to become familiar with each of the stages of the REVO. "It was an opportunity to see what procedures are applicable to our aircraft and to increase the level of safety of the tests", says Lieutenant Luís Gustavo Leandro de Paula, an in-flight test engineer at IPEV.
The in-flight fuel transfer enables the H-36 to reach the 22 million km2 extremes of Brazil's territory, to carry out rescue missions at sea, humanitarian aid, troop infiltrations and military transport at strategic locations. For Major Aviator Bruno Roque Teixeira, test pilot and responsible for the planning of the campaign, the main benefit of the REVO is the increase of the aircraft range. "In a peaceful setting, it will be possible to go further in a shorter time. This may be the differential to save more lives in a rescue at sea", he points out.
The H-36 aircraft used in the mission are from Squadrons Falcão (1/8 GAV) and Puma (3/8 GAV) whilest the KC-130H is from Gordo Squadron (1/1 GT).
The operation take place at Ala 11 (Galeão), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), in order to certify both in daytime and night conditions (assisted with NVG and unassisted). In this way, specific evaluations of both aircraft will be conducted to determine a safe envelope containing speed, altitude and specific configurations.
The coordination of the campaign is carried out by the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), which participates with two of its units: the Institute of Industrial Development and Coordination (IFI), a military organization that acts in the certification of quality management systems and the Institute Research and Testing in Flight (IPEV), which since 2014 has been working on the theoretical forecasts and preparation of this campaign.
In August of this year, approximately 10 military personnel involved in the operation conducted an exchange with the United States Air Force (USAF), where it was possible to become familiar with each of the stages of the REVO. "It was an opportunity to see what procedures are applicable to our aircraft and to increase the level of safety of the tests", says Lieutenant Luís Gustavo Leandro de Paula, an in-flight test engineer at IPEV.
The in-flight fuel transfer enables the H-36 to reach the 22 million km2 extremes of Brazil's territory, to carry out rescue missions at sea, humanitarian aid, troop infiltrations and military transport at strategic locations. For Major Aviator Bruno Roque Teixeira, test pilot and responsible for the planning of the campaign, the main benefit of the REVO is the increase of the aircraft range. "In a peaceful setting, it will be possible to go further in a shorter time. This may be the differential to save more lives in a rescue at sea", he points out.
The H-36 aircraft used in the mission are from Squadrons Falcão (1/8 GAV) and Puma (3/8 GAV) whilest the KC-130H is from Gordo Squadron (1/1 GT).
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