New crash-resistant fuel tank takes step towards FAA approval
Vector Aerospace Corporation and its partner Robertson Fuel Systems (RFS) announced that its crash-resistant fuel tank for the Airbus AS350 has successfully completed its first flight.
Vector Aerospace Corporation, a provider of aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul, and its partner Robertson Fuel Systems (RFS), a HEICO Company, announced that its crash-resistant fuel tank (CRFT) for the Airbus AS350 has successfully completed its first flight.
This was the second step that the retrofittable CRFT has taken toward Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification following the completion of a 50-foot drop test. The new CRFT has since been installed on two flight test aircraft, an AS350 B2 and an AS350 B3, with both undergoing extensive ground-testing as the program progresses steadily forward.
Jeff Booker, CRFT program manager at Vector, said: “This milestone is a testament to the team here at Vector, which has been working hard to bring this product to market for our customers. As soon as the drop testing was complete we began the process of installation to move us into this new test phase. It’s a great feeling to see this tank flying.”