General Dynamics F-16 VISTA

F-16 VISTA

The VISTA/MATV aircraft in formation with the X-31 (middle) and the F/A-18 HARV (top)
Role	Experimental fighter
Manufacturer	General Dynamics (later Lockheed Martin)
Number built	1
Developed from	General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

The General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin) F-16 VISTA ("Variable stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft") is an experimental aircraft, derived from the F-16 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.

The VISTA program was considered successful, but the thrust vector control (TVC) never made it into production fighter versions.

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.^[1] The STOVL F-35 variants also incorporate MATV while hovering to provide attitude control.

The VISTA aircraft is now directly operated and maintained by the US Air Force Test Pilot School. It is regularly used in student curriculum sorties, and other special academic projects.

Specifications

The F-16 VISTA is a Block 30 F-16D based on the airframe design of the Israel Air Force version, which incorporates a dorsal fairing running the length of the fuselage aft of the canopy and a heavyweight landing gear derived from the Block 40 F-16C/D. The fairing houses most of the variable-stability equipment and test instrumentation. The heavyweight gear will permit simulation of aircraft with higher landing sink rates than a standard F-16.

Data from USAF fact sheet^[2] AerospaceWeb^[3]

General characteristics

Crew: 2 (pilot and safety pilot)^[4]
Length: 48 ft 7 in (14.8 m)
Wingspan: 32 ft 2 in (9.8 m)
Height: 15 ft 9 in (4.8 m)
Wing area: 300 sq ft (28 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 64A204 root and tip
Empty weight: 18,238 lb (8,273 kg)
Gross weight: 26,463 lb (12,003 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 42,300 lb (19,187 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × General Electric F110 afterburning turbofan, 14,590 lbf (64.9 kN) thrust dry, 23,770 lbf (105.7 kN) with afterburner

Performance

Maximum speed: 1,303 kn; 2,414 km/h (1,500 mph)

At sea level: Mach 1.2 (915 mph, 1,460 km/h)

At altitude: Mach 2+

Ferry range: 2,800 nmi (3,200 mi; 5,200 km) with 3× 370 US gal (1,401 l) drop tanks
Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m) +
Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (250 m/s)
Wing loading: 88.2 lb/sq ft (431 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 1.095

References

External links

Convair and General Dynamics aircraft

Manufacturer designations	(numbering continued from Vultee): 105 109 110 116 118 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8/8-24 21 22 23 24 30 31 48 240 300 340 440 540 580 600 640

Bombers	B-36 XA-44 XB-46 XB-53 B-58 YB-60

Fighters and attack aircraft	XP-81 XF-92 F-102 F-106 XFY F2Y Charger

Civilian transports	37 58-9 110 240 300 340 440 540 580 600 640 880 990 5800

Military transports	XC-99 C-131 R3Y R4Y T-29

Experimental aircraft	Kingfish NB-36H X-6

General Dynamics	F-111 F-111B F-111C F-111K EF-111A F-16 F-16XL F-16 VISTA Model 1600 RB-57F

Lockheed and Lockheed Martin aircraft

Manufacturer
designations

Basic Model Numbers	L-1 L-2 L-3 L-4 L-5 L-6¹ L-7 L-8 L-9 L-10 L-11 L-012 L-13¹ L-014 L-015 L-016 L-017 L-018 L-019 L-020 L-021 L-022 L-023 L-024 L-25¹ L-026 L-027 L-28¹ L-029 L-030 L-031 L-032 L-033 L-034 L-035 L-36¹ L-037 L-38¹ L-39¹ L-040 L-041 L-042 L-044 L-045 L-049 L-050 L-051 L-052 L-060 L-061 L-062 L-075 L-080 L-081 L-082 L-083 L-084 L-085 L-086 L-087 L-088 L-089 L-090 L-091 L-092 L-093 L-094 L-092 L-099 L-100 L-133 L-140 L-141 L-193 L-245 L-246 L-300 L-301 L-329 L-351 L-382 L-500 L-645

Lockheed-California Temporary Design Numbers	CL-282 CL-288 CL-295 CL-320 CL-325 CL-329 CL-346 CL-379 CL-400 CL-407 CL-475 CL-595 CL-704 CL-760 CL-823 CL-901 CL-915 CL-934 CL-981 CL-984 CL-985 CL-1026 CL-1195 CL-1200 CL-1400 CL-1600 CL-1700 CL-1800 CL-1980

Other projects	SR-72

By role

Airliners and civil transports	Vega Sirius Altair Orion Electra Electra Junior Super Electra Lodestar Constellation (L-049 L-649 L-749) Super Constellation (L-1049 L-1249) Starliner Saturn Electra L-402 Jetstar L-100 L-1011

Military transports	Y1C-12 Y1C-17 Y1C-23 Y1C-25 C-36 C-37 C-40 C-56 C-57 C-59 C-60 C-63 C-66 C-69 UC-85 UC-101 C-104 C-111 C-121 C-130 / C-130J / HC-130 / KC-130 / LC-130 / MC-130 C-139 C-140 C-141 C-5 JO XRO R2O R3O XR4O R5O R6O / R6V R7O / R7V R8V / GV / UV Tristar

Attack and bombers	Y1A-9 A-28 A-29 XB-30 B-34 B-37 AC-130 A-4AR F-117 FB-22

Drones/UAVs	AQM-60 D-21/Q-12 Desert Hawk Desert Hawk III MQM-105 P-175 Q-5 RQ-3 RQ-170 See also: DC-130

EW and reconnaissance	O-56 F-4 F-5 F-14 YO-3 EC-121 EC-130 / EC-130H WC-130 EP-3 RB-69 U-2 / TR-1 A-12 SR-71 PO / WV XW2V

Fighters	XFM-2 XPB-3 YP-24 P-38 XP-49 XP-58 P-80/F-80 XF-90 F-94 F-97 F-104 (F-104 variants) YF-12 F-16 YF-22 F-22 F-35 FO XFV

Helicopters	CL-475 XH-51 AH-56 VH-71

Maritime patrol	PBO PV P2V P-2 P3V P-3 P-7 S-3 CP-122 CP-140

Trainers	AT-18 T-33 T-40 TO / TV T2V / T-1

Experimental	M-21 NF-104A QT-2 Senior Peg Senior Prom XC-35 XF-104 VZ-10 / XV-4 X-7 X-17 X-26B X-27 X-33 X-35 X-44 X-55 X-56

Names

¹ Not assigned.

General Dynamics F-16 VISTA

Specifications

See also

References

External links