Dec. 8, 2016 This week in Edwards flight test history On Dec. 5, 1963, U.S. Air Force pilot Maj. Bob Rushworth flew an X-15 to Mach 6.06 which, at the time, was the highest speed achieved by a winged aircraft. During his time with the program, Rushworth completed 34 X-15 flights, more than any other pilot.
March 23, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On March 23, 1948, the Douglas XF3D Skyknight made its first flight, with Douglas test pilot Russell Thaw at the controls. The F3D, a large twin-engine night fighter developed for the Navy, had been trucked in to Muroc Army Airfield from El Segundo, California, for its flight test program.
March 16, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On March 15, 2007, the YAL-1 Airborne Laser conducted the first in-flight test firings of its Target Illuminator Laser. Multiple beams of photons were directed against an NKC-135E Big Crow target aircraft off the California coastline. The kilowatt-class TIL tracks a potential target and measures
Feb. 9, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On Feb. 11 1945, the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation’s XP-81 made its first flight at Muroc. It was piloted by Frank Davis.
April 13, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On April 11, 1992, the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III successfully completed its first in-flight refueling mission from a KC-135 Stratotanker.
April 20, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On April 20, 1987, the new control tower was officially opened with the takeoff of an F-15. The new facility, which is stressed to withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake as well as 120-plus mph winds, replaced the 10-story red and white structure that had been a landmark since 1956. Today, the cab of
May 18, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On May 18, 1953, Jacqueline Cochran made two supersonic dives in a Canadian-built (Canadair) F-86E Sabre and became the first woman to exceed the speed of sound. Later that day she flew the same plane over Edwards AFB’s low-level course, a 12-pylon, 100-kilometer track, to a new women’s absolute
Dec. 1, 2016 This week in Edwards flight test history On Nov. 28, 1956, the Ryan X-13 Vertijet made the world’s first jet vertical transition flight. Following a horizontal takeoff, test pilot Pete Girard put the test airplane into a vertical hover and then recovered flying speed for a conventional landing. This Edwards History Office file photo was
Feb. 15, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On Feb. 15, 1958, the first Convair B-58 Hustler (55-665) arrived at the Flight Test Center for Phase IV testing, concluding a combined delivery and test flight. The four engine delta winged aircraft was the world’s first bomber designed to sustain supersonic speeds during its mission profile. This
Feb. 23, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On Feb. 21, 1953, a variant of the Bell X-1, the Bell X-1A, made its first powered flight, flown by Jean “Skip” Ziegler.