F-16 VISTA

infobox Aircraft
name= F-16 VISTA
type= Experimental fighter
manufacturer= General Dynamics (later Lockheed Martin)


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number built= 1
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developed from = F-16 Fighting Falcon
variants with their own articles =

The General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F-16 VISTA ("Variable stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft") program, which ran from 1988 to 1997, began as a privately funded joint venture between General Electric and General Dynamics, to produce a Multi-Axis Thrust-Vectoring (MATV) variant of the Fighting Falcon.

The F-16 VISTA testbed aircraft incorporated a multi-axis thrust vectoring (MATV) engine nozzle that provides for more active control of the aircraft in a post-stall situation. The resulting aircraft is supermaneuverable, retaining pitch and yaw control at angles of attack beyond which the traditional control surfaces cannot change attitude.Fact|date=March 2008

The VISTA program was considered successful, but the thrust vector control (TVC) never made it into production fighter versions.Fact|date=March 2008

The program was also notable for the development of Direct Voice Input and the "Virtual HUD", which were both eventually to be incorporated into the cockpit design for the F-35 Lightning II. [ [http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article19.html F-16 Versions - F-16 VISTA / MATV / NF-16D ] ] The STOVL F-35 variants also incorporate MATV while hovering to provide attitude control.Fact|date=February 2008

pecifications (F-16C Block 30 - for comparison)

Aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet

ref=USAF sheet, [ [http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=103 F-16 USAF fact sheet] ] AerospaceWeb [ [http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/fighter/f16/ F-16 page on aerospaceweb.org] ]

crew=1
length main=49 ft 5 in
length alt=14.8 m
span main=32 ft 8 in
span alt=9.8 m
height main=16 ft
height alt=4.8 m
area main=300 ft²
area alt=27.87 m²
airfoil=NACA 64A204 root and tip
empty weight main=18,238 lb
empty weight alt=8,272 kg
loaded weight main=26,463 lb
loaded weight alt=12,003 kg
max takeoff weight main=42,300 lb
max takeoff weight alt=16,875 kg

engine (jet)=Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220
type of jet=afterburning turbofan
number of jets=1
thrust main=14,590 lbf
afterburning thrust main=23,770 lbf
thrust alt=64.9 kN
afterburning thrust alt=105.7 kN
more general=Alternate powerplant: 1× General Electric F110-GE-100 afterburning turbofan
** Dry thrust: 17,155 lbf (76.3 kN)
** Thrust with afterburner: 28,985 lbf (128.9 kN)

max speed main=
** At sea level: Mach 1.2 (915 mph, 1,460 km/h)
** At altitude: Mach 2+
max speed alt=1,500 mph, 2,414 km/h
max speed more=
combat radius main=340 mi
combat radius alt=295 NM, 550 km
combat radius more=on a hi-lo-hi mission with six 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs
ferry range main=>3,200 mi
ferry range alt=2,800 NM, 4,800 km
ceiling main=>50,000 ft
ceiling alt=15,239 m
climb rate main=50,000 ft/min
climb rate alt=254 m/s
loading main=88.2 lb/ft²
loading alt=431 kg/m²
thrust/weight=For F100 engine: 0.898, For F110: 1.095

guns=
rockets=
missiles=

References

External links

* [http://www1.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/F-16XL1/index.html F-16XL number 1 photo gallery]
* [http://www1.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/F-16XL2/index.html F-16XL number 2 photo gallery]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/pdf/88653main_H-2382.pdf NASA report]
* [http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/07/10/215385/nasa-could-put-f-16xl-back-in-the-air.html NASA Could Put The F-16XL Back In The Air (2007)]
* [http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archives/1991/articles/jul_91/july2a_91.html Harry Hillaker — Father of the F-16]

ee also

aircontent
related=
* F-16 Fighting Falcon
* General Dynamics F-16XL

similar aircraft=
* Rockwell-MBB X-31

sequence=
* YF-12 - F-14 - F-15 - F-16 - YF-17 - F/A-18 - F-20

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see also=