26 August 2019: Saab has completed the first flight with the first Brazilian Gripen E fighter aircraft, 39-6001. The Gripen E aircraft was flown by Saab's test pilot Richard Ljungberg. The aircraft was operated from Saabs airfield in Linkoping, Sweden.
The total duration of the flight was 65 minutes and included test points to check basic handling and flying qualities at different altitudes and speeds. The aim was to check that the aircraft behaviour was according to expectations.
"This milestone is a testament to the great partnership between Sweden and Brazil. Less than five years since the contract was signed, the first Brazil Gripen has conducted her first flight," said Hakan Buskhe, President and CEO of Saab.
The production of the aircraft had taken place in Brazil and will be used in the joint test programme as a test aircraft. Tests for 39-6001 are different from the previous tests because the 39-6001 has a completely new cockpit layout, with a huge Wide Area Display (WAD), two small Head Down Displays (sHDD) and a new Head Up Display (HUD). Another big difference is an updated flight control system with updated control laws for Gripen E. It also consists of modifications both in hardware and software.
"For me as a pilot it has been a great honour to fly the first Brazilian Gripen E aircraft as I know how much this means for the Brazilian Air Force and everyone at Saab and our Brazilian partners. The flight was smooth and the aircraft behaved just as we have seen in the rigs and simulators. This was also the first time we flew with the Wide Area Display in the cockpit, and I am happy to say that my expectations were confirmed," said Saab test pilot Richard Ljungberg.