X-15 No. 1

1st Powered Flt.

1/23/60

Crossfield

Here we go Scotty!

Scott:

And they look very good across the board

(Singing) "Back in the saddle again."

   

Chase:

Looking real good from back here.

   

Scott:

OK, Sideslip. Rudder kick. Very, very soft. Damp. Pushover. Left turn. Side slip. Rolling out of the turn 12░. Rudder kick. (Free oscillation) to 1/2 cycle. Pushover. Very spongy. Rudder kick. And directional trim. Coming on around.

   

?:

Rog, Keep the turn coming.

   

Scott:

Oscillation on burnoff. Pushover. Too much sideslip and too much rudder. OK, give me the altimeter setting on the lake please

   

?:

30.1 set at 2

   

Scott:

What?

   

?:

30.1

   

Scott:

30.1 zero?

   

?:

Affirmative.

   

Scott:

Going to jettison now. Is it showing?

   

Chase:

I'm out of sight of you. I can't pick you up.

   

Scott:

OK, 15,000. Going to 17░. 60░ bank roll. I get a little rolling along with some pretty good buffet. Not jet buffet, mild buffet. Chase 3 in place yet?

   

Chase:

Negative.

   

Scott:

This airplane seems to be softer than the other one for some reason or other. 20,000 feet.

   

Chase:

I don't have you in sight.

   

Scott:

OK, I'll look and see if I can tell you where I am. I'm just crossing the highway, 466, due north of the Base.

   

QC:

See him, Joe?

   

Chase:

Negative, I had the same trouble you did in the sun. Keep a running account of where you are going Scott, we'll find you.

   

Scott:

OK, buddy, I'm on high initial. 360 to 18 on the north lake shore.

   

Chase:

Altitude?

   

Scott:

I'm coming up on 20,000 ft. in about 270 around.

   

QC:

Scott, a reminder on arming the ventral and pressurizing the tanks after bleeddown here.

   

Scott:

Ventral is armed and the tank is pressurized. Still have some source, don't know what it means.

   

QC:

OK, and landing instrumentation. A reminder.

   

Scott:

Altitude is 12,000 ft. approaching downwind. Knocked my dive brakes open a little bit again.

   

Chase:

Rog, count down to ventral.

   

Scott:

Roger.

   

Chase:

I see you quite a ways ahead of me. Keep going, I've got him in sight, coming around there. Yes, I see him.

   

Scott:

Jettisoning the ventral. 3, 2, 1. It's off

   

QC:

Scott, landing instrumentation on and calibrate.

   

Chase:

Get your gear?

   

Scott:

Does steer real good. Look at that. You can steer it all over. Want me to park it at NASA?

   

QC:

Yes, Scott. How does it look?

   

Scott:

Looks real good, buddy boy. What do you expect?

   

QC:

OK, real fine.

   

Scott:

Oh, I'm in the mud. Bogged down.

   

QC:

Bogged down?

   

Scott:

Full in the mud.

   

QC:

Don't do that to our lake Scott. Scott, you still with me? This is QC.

   

Scott:

Bet your life.

   

QC:

Would you turn the stable platform off please?

   

Scott:

Stable platform off.

   

QC:

How badly dug in are you?

   

Scott:

I was just kidding you, Buddy.

   

QC:

OK

   

Scott:

Anyhow, it just...... QC, give me a rundown on shutting this thing down.

   

QC:

Data and calibrate, instrumentation off. Heat off.

   

Scott:

Heat off.

   

QC:

Cockpit lights off. Data off. Ram air door open.

   

Scott:

Ram air open.

   

QC:

Is (?) out there now in NASA-4?

   

Scott:

Affirmative.

   

QC:

OK, why don't you do it there? Flaps up.

 

For general information: Takeoff time 1543

Drop time 1617

Touchdown time 1627