After its successful test flight in May, the supersonic training plane “Falcon 03”, independently developed by Hongdu Group, will make its first public appearance early next month at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, China News Service reported on October 13.

As a new generation high-altitude training plane, “Falcon 03” has attracted considerable attention since its test flight in May.

Models on display along with the previous “Falcon” training plane.[cnsphoto]

“Falcon 03” has conducted a number of experiments on additional drop tanks, including tanks for oil transportation. The relevant software and hardware have been upgraded to meet the requirements of the new drop tanks. The plane performed extremely well on its recent test flight.

According to analysts, the original “Falcon” engine has been replaced by a new turbofan engine with a fully-digital electronic control system. The new system provides an effective improvement in the performance and reliability of the engine, and maintains complete control over the engine and the plane for the first time in a domestically-produced fixed-wing aircraft.

The “Falcon 03” also has several optimized design features in structure, overall flying requirements, and maintenance requirements, which give improved performance on one hand and reduce flying costs on the other.

“Falcon 03” has made steady improvements in conditions and operational capacity compared to “Falcon 01”. It can be used in training sessions for advanced operating skills and basic tactics. Several countries have expressed an interest in the plane.

(China.org.cn by Xiang Bin October 14, 2008)