May 1987, the main phase of the test flight programme commenced, by which point the EAP had been equipped with an anti-spin parachute and the control laws also upgraded to Paris Standard, featuring angle-of-attack and side-slip feedback. Following the initial flights of the type, in addition to continuing flight testing, an increasing emphasis was placed on the performance of pre-arranged aerial displays at various airshows; in such a capacity, the EAP would demonstrate its capabilities, such as its high level of agility, to a wide audience, often consisting of both the general public and figures interested in the prospective production programme. The EAP's one hundredth flight was performed during the 1987 Paris Air Show. During December 1987, the third phase of test flying commenced, after which an increasing emphasis was placed upon testing various technologies for the future Eurofighter Typhoon, such as the direct voice input interface and multi-function displays. The flight control laws would also be progressively refined, improving the handling and enabling the EAP to reach a recorded maximum speed of Mach 2.0 during its latter years of operation; the aircraft also demonstrated an ability to maintain controlled flight while flown at very high angles of attack, reportedly in excess of 35 degrees. The final round of test flights involved exploring the functionality of the in-flight flutter and structural coupling mode. By the end of its flying career, the EAP had reportedly flown 259 sorties and accumulated a total of 195 flight hours. According to aviation historian Nick Sturgess, the EAP's flight testing had contributed heavily to the development of computerised flight control systems, new construction techniques, and the exploration of advanced aerodynamics. Chris Boardman, a managing director at BAe's successor company, BAE Systems, commented in 2013 that the EAP was fundamentally important to defining and developing both the characteristics and capabilities of the subsequent Eurofighter Typhoon. Preservation On 1 May 1991, the sole EAP aircraft was retired from the flight test programme; it was subsequently transported to the display area of the Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering department of Loughborough University. For the next two decades it was used as an instructional aid for teaching Aeronautical Engineering students the components and systems of a modern fighter jet. For this purpose, its port wing had been removed at the root, providing a better view of both the aerofoil cross-section and several internal components. Furthermore, other components had been removed