Exploring the First Gripen E with a Saab Test Pilot
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The first Gripen E to take to the air was one of the early prototypes of the E series, designated 39-8. The historic flight, which lasted for an impressive 40 minutes, took place on June 15th, 2017 over Linköping, Sweden.
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Gripen 39-8 has ever since served as a platform to run various tests and updates for Gripen E at Saab facilities in Sweden. In this video by Siivet-Wings, Test pilot André Brännström carries out a comprehensive 45-minute-long walk-through of the aircraft at Saab, Linköping. He talks extensively about the role and performance of a Gripen in various flight situations, the flight technicalities involved, the functionality of the parts of the aircraft, and the weapon systems.
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