Hermeus Receives FAA Experimental Certification For MK 2.1 Quarterhorse Hermeus is back in the news again right after the experimental MK 2.1 Quarterhorse made its maiden flight. This time the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted Hermeus certification for the MK 2.1 Quarterhorse. This obviously is not the final type certification but a Special Airworthiness Certificate – Experimental Category (SAC-EC).
The importance of obtaining the SAC-EC gives Hermeus civil regulatory approval for its Quarterhorse flight test campaign as the company works toward achieving supersonic flight with the Mk 2.1. “Their team conducted a rigorous inspection and gained real confidence in the aircraft,” Jay Wagemann, director of mission operations for Hermeus, says of the FAA. “Now, we will continue our flight test campaign, collecting vital data and pushing the limits of high-speed flight”.
With the first flight already taken place the aim will be to get through the process step-by-step. Hermeus suggests the Mk 2.1 campaign will ramp through progressively higher altitudes and airspeeds as the company builds toward a supersonic flight. Pretty much a similar profile to how they consecutively energized the MK 1 portion of the program. The experimental aircraft is powered by one Pratt & Whitney F100 engine.
Of course the goal is to get to hypersonic speeds. The Pratt & Whitney F100 engine won't be able to get the craft to hypersonic speeds which are widely accepted to be in the region of MACH 5. To help achieve this, Hermeus has been working on a dedicated powerplant called the 'Chimera' for the MK 3 version of the program. That will involve combining technologies into a new powerplant. A standard turbofan paired with a separate ramjet engine all-in-one is envisioned to help propel the advanced stage of the Quarterhorse to much higher MACH numbers towards hypersonic speeds. For more information: Hermeus 1954 Airport Rd Atlanta, Georgia 30341 www.hermeus.com ***
