30 Years Maiden Flight Of The G3

30 Years First Flight Of The Third VFW 614

The third pre-production VFW 614 G3 (D-BABC) performed its maiden flight 30 years ago, october 10th, 1972 at Bremen Airport. So we are reaching the 30th anniversary of G3´s first flight. Flight crew was Leif Nielen as Pilot, Jaap Hofstra (from Fokker) and Jürgen Hammer as Flight Test Engineer. Duration of flight was approx. 1,5 hours.

With the third prototype of the VFW 614 the production line of pre-production aircraft was finished. All following serial production aircraft, assembled in the Lemwerder plant, where delivered to customers or where used as demonstrator aircraft.

Originally G3 was scheduled together with G1 and G2 for a 18 month long flight test period. G3 was primary planned for systems testing. After the loss of G1 on january 1st, 19972 flight test schedules had to be changed and both remaining aircraft where committed to perform the entire test program for transport aircraft certifications.

Crash investigations of G1 resulted in modifications of flight controls in the tail. So just after its maiden flight G3 started to very intensive flight tests at Fokker aircraft factory in Amsterdam. Both aircraft, G2 and G3, where involved with the goal to prove full operational ability of the VFW 614 type after their modifications. This evaluation phase was managed by Fokker chief test pilot Jaas Moll. Until November 1972 the experienced Fokker flight test crew in cooperation with the VFW crews investigated both aircraft in the highspeed range, lowspeed range (with 150 stalls), spin tests and buffeting/flutter investigations. Finally Jaas Moll declared the "go-ahead" for the continuation of the VFW 614 program. At this time G3 had flown a total of 23:19 hours.

G3 continued a demonstration tour around Great Britain in the beginning of 1973. In conjunction with engine flight tests at the Rolls-Royce facility Bristol, G3 successfully performed water splash tests in Cranfield. A very important phase followed in august at Torrejon airbase in the vicinity of Madrid with flight performance tests in high temperatures and high altitudes as part of the certification tests. 200 flight hours were reached during this period. Rolls-Royce crews performed their engine flight testing with the M45H engine. Because of good results of flight behaviour and flight performances of the aircraft the Torrejon phase was very successful. An important milestone for the certification in 1974 was reached.

G3 was involved in following flight tests among other things in certification flights of the autopilot and flight guidance system. Antenna measurement flights of radios and avionics where made in Braunschweig at DFVLR (today DLR). G3 flew functional and certification tests of several systems and noise proving in order to meet the noise regulations. Like G2 the G3 had a modern flight instrumentation and telemetry equipment on board. A flight instrumentation engineer was serving and operating the installation.

G3 was was used as a demonstrator aircraft for several marketing activities. Especially worth mentioning is the demonstration phase in Rumania, demo-flights with chief pilots of airlines and pilots of aviation magazines as well as airshow demonstrations in Paris-Le Bourget, Hannover and Farnborough.

We can say, that G3 did a lot for the certification program and performed a significant share of the VFW 614 development and test program. Her sad end in january 1981 is not comparable.

Joachim Kruth, Bremen

The G3 in front of Helgoland.

10.10.2002