The France Directorate General of Armaments (Direction générale de l’armement, DGA) Flight Tests center of expertise carried out compatibility tests on the Thales Scorpion helmet sight at the Cazaux site, Gironde with the parachute evacuation of a Rafale pilot. This test campaign is part of the process of integrating this equipment on the Dassault Rafale multirole fighter to the F4 standard. The parachute evacuation compatibility tests, carried out before the first Rafale flights, reproduce all the Rafale pilot’s rescue and survival phases, from his ejection from the aircraft to his survival in an aquatic environment.
These tests validate that the new equipment does not interfere with the safety and rescue operations of the pilot. After the successful completion by DGA Techniques aeronautiques of a series of ground tests, on equipment and mannequin only, DGA Flight Tests thus developed and carried out a test campaign. Initially developed for the land combatant, the Scorpion helmet sight is perfectly suited for use on Rafale. Its color screen can be used day or night. The first results of the tests conducted by DGA Flight Tests show that the new helmet visor behaves similarly to the helmet currently in service.
After the successful completion by DGA Techniques aeronautiques of a series of ground tests, on equipment and mannequin only, DGA Flight Tests thus developed and carried out a test campaign comprising:
– a suspended harness test carried out on the ground on a gantry to verify the impact of the helmet sight on the application of procedures during parachute flight after ejection;
– a ground test to verify the release of the harness in the event of drag during a landing in strong winds;
– a jump from an H225 helicopter performed by a fully equipped test parachutist.
Thales’ Scorpion system is the world’s first and only Full-Color Helmet Mounted Cueing System (HMCS). Visionix’s Scorpion system is in full-rate production under multiple commercial OEM productions contracts and current US Government contracts and currently flies on the following aircraft: A-10 Thunderbolt (USAF), F-16 Viper (USAF), F-18 (Spanish Air Force), AC-130W Dragon Spear (USAF), AT-6 (Hawker-Beechcraft/Lockheed Martin), F-22, OV-10, UH-60/S-70, MD530G, H125M, H145M and H225. For integrators, the Scorpion® Helmet Mounted Cueing System, allows for rapid installation by requiring no avionics bay modifications.
