The second H-1 Upgrades Program engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD) aircraft, UH-1Y (Yankee 1) made its first flight Dec. 20 at the Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (BHTI) Flight Research Center in Arlington, Texas. The aircraft, piloted by Monte Nelson, BHTI, and Marine Corps Maj. Tony Randall, completed in-ground-effect hover maneuvers.

The first EMD aircraft, AH-1Z, has been in flight test for the last year at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Yankee 1 is scheduled to arrive at Pax in May 2002 for flight testing.

(Call Renee Hatcher at 301-757-5138 for more information on this news release.)