Experimental aircraft

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A LTV XC-142 experimental V/STOL aircraft. Ling-Temco-Vought XC-142A.jpg
A LTV XC-142 experimental V/STOL aircraft.

An experimental aircraft is an aircraft intended for testing new aerospace technologies and design concepts.

Contents

The term research aircraft or testbed aircraft , by contrast, generally denotes aircraft modified to perform scientific studies, such as weather research or geophysical surveying, similar to a research vessel.[ citation needed ]

United States

The term "experimental aircraft" also has specific legal meaning in Australia, the United States and some other countries; usually used to refer to aircraft flown with an experimental certificate. [1] In the United States, this also includes most homebuilt aircraft, many of which are based on conventional designs and hence are experimental only in name because of certain restrictions in operation. [2]

See also

Notes

  1. 14CFR 21.175 Archived 2018-09-12 at the Wayback Machine , US Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 2018-01-12
  2. 14CFR 21.191 Archived 2021-06-10 at the Wayback Machine , US Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 2018-01-12

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