Jan. 4, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history On Jan. 2, 1968, two pilots assigned to Edwards escaped serious injury after they abandoned their F-111A some 25 miles southeast of the base due to an in-flight fire. They were the first aircrew to use the F-111’s emergency escape module.
Dec. 13, 2016 This week in Edwards flight test history On Dec. 15, 1944, Bell test pilot Jack Woolams established an unofficial U.S. altitude record when he climbed to 47,600 feet in a YP-59A Airacomet.
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
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.
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.
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. 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.
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
March 3, 2017 This week in Edwards flight test history 27 Feb 1958 at Edwards - A test team began a series of performance, stability and control flight tests of the Lockheed CL-329 JetStar, a small, high-speed utility transport. The prototype aircraft was configured with two Bristol Siddeley Orpheus engines. (Edwards History Office file photo)
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.