At the Edge of Space
Page 37
Flight 50
Flight 51
Flight 52
Flight 53
Flight 54
Flight 55
Flight 56
Flight 57
Flight 58
Flight 59
Flight 60
Flight 61
Flight 62
Flight 63
Flight 64
Flight 65
Flight 66
Flight 67
Flight 68
Flight 69
Flight 70
Flight 71
Flight 72
Flight 73
Flight 74
Flight 75
Flight 76
Flight 77
Flight 78
Flight 79
Flight 80
Flight 81
Flight 82
Flight 83
Flight 84
Flight 85
Flight 86
Flight 87
Flight 88
Flight 89
Flight 90
Flight 91
Flight 92
Flight 93
Flight 94
Flight 95
Flight 96
Flight 97
Flight 98
Flight 99
Flight 100
Flight 101
Flight 102
Flight 103
Flight 104
Flight 105
Flight 106
Flight 107
Flight 108
Flight 109
Flight 110
Flight 111
Flight 112
Flight 113
Flight 114
Flight 115
Flight 116
Flight 117
Flight 118
Flight 119
Flight 120
Flight 121
Flight 122
Flight 123
Flight 124
Flight 125
Flight 126
Flight 127
Flight 128
Flight 129
Flight 130
Flight 131
Flight 132
Flight 133
Flight 134
Flight 135
Flight 136
Flight 137
Flight 138
Flight 139
Flight 140
Flight 141
Flight 142
Flight 143
Flight 144
Flight 145
Flight 146
Flight 147
Flight 148
Flight 149
Flight 150
Flight 151
Flight 152
Flight 153
Flight 154
Flight 155
Flight 156
Flight 157
Flight 158
Flight 159
Flight 160
Flight 161
Flight 162
Flight 163
Flight 164
Flight 165
Flight 166
Flight 167
Flight 168
Flight 169
Flight 170
Flight 171
Flight 172
Flight 173
Flight 174
Flight 175
Flight 176
Flight 177
Flight 178
Flight 179
Flight 180
Flight 181
Flight 182
Flight 183
Flight 184
Flight 185
Flight 186
Flight 187
Flight 188
Flight 189
Flight 190
Flight 191
Flight 192
Flight 193
Flight 194
Flight 195
Flight 196
Flight 197
Flight 198
Flight 199
DESCRIPTION OF FLIGHT DESIGNATIONS
The flight records of the X-15 mention captive flights, cancelled flights, aborted flights, and free flights. Some explanation of this nomenclature is warranted.
A “captive flight” was a planned mated flight of the B-52 and X-15. On a captive flight, there was no plan to launch the X-15. The plan called for the B-52 to take off and land with the X-15 still attached. This type of flight was utilized to check out the operation of some X-15 system or component in the real flight environment if there was some question whether that system would actually operate properly in the flight environment. We could, in this manner, ensure that the system or component would work properly without jeopardizing the X-15. All captive flights are noted in the flight logs.
A “cancelled flight” was a planned free flight of the X-15 that was cancelled before takeoff of the B-52 and X-15 combination. No formal records were kept of cancelled flights. Flights were cancelled for a wide variety of reasons, including weather, wet lakebeds, schedule slips, lack of support, schedule conflicts.
An “aborted flight” was a planned free flight of the X-15 that was cancelled, or aborted, after takeoff of the B-52 and X-15 combination. The X-15 came back still attached to the B-52. Aborted flights are noted in the flight logs. Flights were generally aborted due to failure of some component or system in the X-15 during checkout prior to launch. Flights were occasionally aborted for other reasons, such as rapid changes in weather or lack of chase support, but this was unusual.
During the X-15 program there were a total of 336 flights of the B-52 and X-15 combination. The X-15 was launched on 199 of these flights. Twelve of these flights were planned captive flights and the remaining 137 were aborted flights.
In the flight logs, a “C” designates a captive flight and an “A” designates an aborted flight. Each individual flight is defined by three numbers or a number, a letter, and a number. The first number is the aircraft number. The second number is the free flight number and the third number is the total number of times it was carried aloft, consisting of the total of free flights, captive flights, and aborted flights. If a flight is defined by a number, a letter, and a number, the first number is again the aircraft number, the letter designates the type of flight other than a free flight, and the last number is again the total number of free flights, captive flights, and aborted flights for that aircraft.
Flight number 3-7-14, for example, was made by the number three aircraft. It was the seventh free flight of that aircraft and it was the fourteenth time that the aircraft/B-52 combination had been airborne. The fourteen total flights included seven free flights and seven aborted or captive flights. The previous flight on that aircraft was designated 3-A-13. It was an aborted flight. Flight number 2-C-53 was made by the number two aircraft. It was a captive flight and it was the fifty-third time that the aircraft/B-52 combination had been airborne. The fifty-three flights included thirty-one free flights, twenty aborted flights, and two captive flights.
The program flight number included only the free flights. There were a total of 199 free flights. The number one aircraft made eighty-one of these flights, the number two aircraft made fifty-three of these flights, and the number three aircraft made sixty-five of these flights.
The program flight number is simply the free flight number of the combination of all three aircraft in chronological order. Flight number 1-1-5 was the first flight of the program made by the number one aircraft on June 8, 1959. Flight number 2-1-3 was the second flight of the program made by the number two aircraft on September 17, 1959. Flight number 2-2-6 was the third flight of the program made by the number two aircraft on October 17, 1959.
Appendix 2
Pilot Statistics
SCOTT CROSSFIELD
Flew for 18 months from June 8, 1959 to December 6, 1960.
Made 14 flights:
1 glide flight
10 flights with LR-11 engine
3 flights with LR-99 engine
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 2.97
Max
imum speed of 1,960 MPH
Maximum altitude of 88,116 feet
Flew Phases I & IV (contractor demonstration phase and LR-99 engine demonstration phase)
Made first X-15 flight.
Made first flight using LR-11 engine.
Made first flight using LR-99 engine.
Made emergency landing on Rosamond Lake due to engine fire.
Survived aircraft explosion during LR-99 engine run.
First pilot to leave program.
Flew flights 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 17, 26, 28, 30
JOE WALKER
Flew for 41 months from March 25, 1960 to August 22, 1963.
Made 25 flights:
5 flights with LR-11
20 flights with LR-99
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 5.92
Maximum speed of 4,104 MPH
Maximum altitude of 354,200 feet
Flew in Phases II, V, & VII (flight envelope expansion phase with LR-11 engine, flight envelope expansion phase with LR-99 engine and research phase).
Made first government X-15 flight.
Made maximum altitude flight.
Made maximum speed flight in standard X-15 (4,104 MPH).
Second pilot to fly X-15.
Fifth pilot to leave program.
Flew flights 9, 13, 15, 18, 20, 35, 37, 40, 44, 50, 52, 56, 59, 61, 65, 67, 76, 77, 79, 81, 84, 86, 88, 90, 91.
BOB WHITE
Flew for 32 months from April 13, 1960 to December 14, 1962.
Made 16 flights:
6 flights with LR-11 engine
10 flights with LR-99 engine
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 6.04
Maximum speed of 4,093 MPH
Maximum altitude of 314,750 feet
Flew in Phases II, V, & VII (flight envelope expansion phase with LR-11 engine, flight envelope expansion phase with LR-99 engine, and research phase).
Made maximum Mach number flight with LR-11 engine (Mach 3.50).
Made maximum altitude flight with LR-11 engine (136,000 feet).
Made FAI record altitude flight of 314,750 feet.
Third pilot to fly X-15.
Fourth pilot to leave program.
Hew flights 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 33, 34, 36, 38, 43, 45, 55, 57, 58, 62, 75
FORREST PETERSEN
Flew for 15 1/2 months from September 23, 1960 to January 10, 1962.
Made 5 flights:
2 flights with LR-11 engine
3 flights with LR-99 engine
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 5.30
Maximum speed of 3,600 MPH
Maximum altitude of 101,800 feet
Flew in Phases III & V (pilot checkout phase with LR-11 engine and flight envelope expansion phase with LR-99 engine).
Made emergency landing at Mud Lake due to failure of engine to light.
Fourth pilot to fly X-15.
Second pilot to leave program.
Flew flights 22, 23, 39, 41, 47.
JACK McKAY
Flew for 70 1/2 months from October 28, 1960 to September 8, 1966.
Made 29 flights:
2 flights with LR-11 engine
27 flights with LR-99 engine
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 5.65
Maximum speed of 3,863 MPH
Maximum altitude of 295,600 feet
Flew in Phases III, VII, VIII, & IX (pilot checkout with LR-11 engine, research phase, research and scientific experiment phase and X-15A-2 envelope expansion phase).
Made emergency landing at Mud Lake due to low engine thrust.
Survived major accident on landing.
Made emergency landing at Delamar Lake due to failure of engine propellant pump.
Made emergency landing at Smith Ranch due to low fuel line pressure.
Fifth pilot to fly X-15.
Ninth pilot to leave program.
Hew flights 24, 32, 60, 63, 70, 72, 74, 80, 83, 102, 106, 110, 115, 119, 121, 128, 131, 132, 137, 139, 146, 148, 150, 154, 157, 163, 166, 169, 171.
BOB RUSHWORTH
Flew for 68 months from November 4, 1960 to July 1, 1966.
Made 34 flights:
2 flights with LR-11 engine
32 flights with LR-99 engine
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 6.06
Maximum speed of 4,018 MPH
Maximum altitude of 285,000 feet
Flew in Phases III, VII, VIII, & IX (pilot checkout with LR-11, research phase, research & scientific experiment phase, & X-15A-2 envelope expansion phase). Made first ventral off flight.
Made maximum dynamic pressure and temperature flight.
Made maximum Mach number flight in standard X-15 (Mach 6.06).
Made first flight of X-15A-2.
Made first flight of X-15A-2 with external tanks.
Sixth pilot to fly X-15.
Eighth pilot to leave program.
Hew flights 25, 27, 42, 53, 54, 66, 68, 69, 71, 73, 78, 82, 85, 87, 89, 94, 97, 100, 103, 105, 109, 114, 118, 124, 127, 129, 140, 141, 145, 147, 149, 155, 158, 159.
NEIL ARMSTRONG
Flew for 20 months from November 30, 1960 to July 26, 1962.
Made 7 flights:
2 flights with LR-11 engine
5 flights with LR-99 engine
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 5.74
Maximum speed of 3,989 MPH
Maximum altitude of 207,500 feet
Flew in Phases III, VI, & VII (pilot checkout with LR-11 engine, demonstration of MH-96 flight control system, & research phase).
Made first flight with ball nose.
Made first flight with MH-96 flight control system.
Seventh pilot to fly X-15.
Third pilot to leave program.
Flew flights 29, 31, 46, 48, 49, 51, 64.
JOE ENGLE
Flew for 24 months from October 7, 1963 to October 14, 1965.
Made 16 flights:
All flights with LR-99 engine
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 5.71
Maximum speed of 3,888 MPH
Maximum altitude of 280,600 feet
Flew Phases VII & VIII (research phase and research and scientific experiment phase).
Eighth pilot to fly X-15.
Seventh pilot to leave program.
Flew flights 92, 95, 98, 104, 107, 111, 112, 117, 123, 126, 130, 134, 135, 138, 143, 153.
MILT THOMPSON
Flew for 22 months from October 29, 1963 to August 25, 1965.
Made 14 flights:
All flights with LR-99 engine
Achieved: Maximum Mach number of 5.48
Maximum speed of 3,724 MPH
Maximum altitude of 214,100 feet
Flew in Phases VII & VIII (research phase and research and scientific experiment phase) Made an emergency landing at Cuddeback Lake due to premature engine shutdown. Ninth pilot to fly X-15.