Feb 16, 2015 - Textron AirLand Invites IDEX Attendees to Explore the Scorpion’s Multi-Mission Capabilities as It Enters Year-Two of Flight Testing

WICHITA, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Textron AirLand, LLC, a Textron Inc. company (NYSE: TXT), will feature its Scorpion ISR/Trainer/Strike aircraft at the 12th edition of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference(IDEX) in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates from February 22 -26.

The Textron AirLand Scorpion Jet was introduced in 2013 and this week completed its 300^th hour of flight testing as a highly-affordable twin-engine tactical jet aircraft. Scorpion is a multi-mission aircraft designed with diverse capabilities including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, training and precision strike.

Scorpion representatives will be available at stand 03-C07 during all IDEX show hours. A scale model of the aircraft will be displayed, along with video of recent flights, with experts prepared to discuss the performance, versatility and value of the aircraft. The media is welcome to use high-resolution images of Scorpion from ourMedia Gallery, as well as Flight Video and details of the aircraft’s Specifications and Mission Capabilities.

Some highlights of flight testing to date:

• Total flight hours: 300 from December 12, 2013 to February 15, 2015
• Availability: Scorpion’s first-year availability rating was greater than 95 percent, an extremely high mission capability score for a prototype tactical jet aircraft
• Confirmed efficiency: Demonstrated below $3,000 per flight hour
• First trans-Atlantic roundtrip flight: Scorpion crossed the Atlantic for its international debut at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough International Air Show. The trip was completed one day ahead of schedule, covering over 9,200 nautical miles in a total of 38 hours flight time.
• International demo: Flew the first international pilot at the British Empire Test Pilots’ School
• First military exercise: Participated in Vigilant Guard 2014, a large-scale, multi-state disaster response exercise sponsored by U.S. Northern Command and the National Guard Bureau. Scorpion provided aerial reconnaissance, transmission of full motion video and communications regarding mock threat scenarios, in tight coordination with other aircraft and ground stations
• Longest flight: 4.2 hours during Vigilant Guard 2014
• Top speed achieved: 455 Knots True Air Speed (KTAS); 0.78 Mach
• Low speed achieved: Demonstrated an intercept of a low, slow flying threat aircraft below 100 KTAS
• Top altitude achieved: 45,000 feet