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US Air Force performs F-16 rain-induced pilot degraded visibility test
03 February 2021
by Pat Host
The US Air Force (USAF) completed a rain-induced, pilot degraded visual environment (DVE) test with a Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon in December 2020.
The F-16 system programme office has been trying to address an issue with rain pooling on the canopy of the aircraft and reducing pilot visibility. Pilots try to avoid flying through inclement weather, but pop-up storms present an unavoidable risk. Field testing provides limited opportunities to gather data on proposed solutions because pilots avoid flying in such conditions.
The test team for the F-16 canopy water pooling visibility test stand beside the test article in the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex’s 12x24 m test section on 1 December 2020. The USAF used the wind tunnel to test how to address rain pooling on the aircraft’s canopy and reducing pilot visibility. (NASA)