A pilot’s perspective on Gripen Demo

Saab is in the middle of an intense flight test period in the Gripen Demonstrator programme. At the Farnborough International Air Show, Saab’s Chief Test Pilot gave an insight in the testing progress.

Image: “The Gripen Demo is designed to demonstrate technology that we can use both in future Gripen versions and in the Gripen C/D-versions”, says Mikael Seidl at the well-attended media brief. Photo Peter Liander.

7/16/2008 | The Gripen Demo programme consists of the Demonstrator Aircraft and a new avionics system – a rig demonstrator.

Among other things, the Gripen Demo has better performance, a new radar, increased payload and extended range compared to earlier versions of the aircraft. 
    “The Gripen Demonstrator Programme has been a huge success because of the fruitful partnership that we have with several partners and sub-contractors,” says Mikael Seidl, Chief Test Pilot at Saab.

The testing programme is running according to plan and a number of flight tests have already been conducted. 

    “The aircraft performance, handling and availability are first class,” concludes Mikael Seidl.

Image: On 27 May 2008, only a month after the roll-out ceremony, the Saab test pilots Mikael Seidl and Magnus Ljungdahl, crewed the first flight with Gripen Demo. Photo: Stefan Kalm.