LOCKHEED HTTB SETS STOL RECORDS FOR TIME-TO-CLIMB, PAYLOAD LIFT

PALMDALE, Calif., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed's High Technology Test Bed -- the world's largest Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft -- set four new U.S. and world STOL records in flight tests here this week.

The all-black four-engine propjet established three time-to-climb records on Thursday, May 18. The airplane reached a 3,000-meter altitude in 3 minutes and 21 seconds; reached 6,000-meter altitude in 7 minutes and 21 seconds; and reached a 9,000-meter altitude in 13 minutes and 21 seconds. In setting these records, the HTTB significantly beat its own records it set in 1985. At 3,000 meters the record was reduced by 18.5 percent. At 6,000 meters the record was reduced by 27.5 percent. At 9,000 meters the record was reduced by 39.5 percent. Aircraft gross weight on Thursday's flight was 95,750 pounds.

On Friday, May 19,...