X-15 OPERATIONS FLIGHT REPORT



FLIGHT NO: 1-76-134 DATE OF REPORT: April 30, 1968

PILOT: Maj. Knight DATE OF FLIGHT: April 26, 1968

CARRIER AIRCRAFT: B-52 #008 LAUNCH LAKE: Delamar

ENGINE SERIAL: 108 APU #1 17 APU #2 23

PURPOSE OF FLIGHT: 1. Saturn Insulation (41)
 

2. Horizon Scanner (17)

3. Fixed Ball Nose (31)


I. Discussion of Previous Operations

A. None II. Configuration Changes A. The WTR experiment and tape recorder were removed for modification. The spare tub with 300 pounds of ballast was installed.

B. The new MIT scanner and the MIT tailcone were installed.

C. The left hand wing pod camera was installed to look at the left hand lower speed brake.

D. New insulation panels were installed on the upper speed brakes. Instrumentation consisted of two T/C's on the left hand, seven T/C's, two static pressures, and one pitot probe on the right hand side.

E. Constant thickness insulation panels were installed on the lower speed brakes. Instrumentation on the panels was two T/C's right hand side and seven T/C's left hand side.

F. Engine 1O9 was replaced by engine 108, due to accumulation of small items which could not be fixed in the aircraft.

G. The right hand APU, S/N 14, was replaced by S/N 23 for time compliance.

H. Heaters were added to the wing pod cameras, powered from the B-52 heater buss. The film broke on flight 1-74 due to cold.

I. A doubler, placed over a stiffener in the engine compartment, was found to be cracked. The material used and the installation are suspected as the cause rather than loads. The doubler was replaced with a redesigned doubler.

J. The new increased strength nose gear was installed, the crescent shaped bellcrank for the scoop door linkage was modified to provide clearance for the new strut. The nose gear door rigging with the new strut was finished on 25 April.

K. The RAS P-Y valve was changed for excessive leakage.

III. Preflight Events A. A pilot fit check with Major Knight was accomplished on 10 April.

B. Engine, APU, and BCS runs were accomplished on 22 April. The inertial system was operated during the second APU start to check operation of precision attitude on internal power.

C. On 23 April the right hand upper speed brake insulation panel was rebonded in the area of the rake.

D. The aircraft was mated to B-52, 008 on 25 April.

IV. Flight Events A. Servicing was accomplished with no problems, except for a hold for the wing pod cameras due to some discrepancies which were found when the film was loaded. Film is loaded on flight morning due to the mechanical properties of the film used.

B. No flight problems occurred.
 
 
 
 

Approve By: Prepared by:

Perry V. Row Vincent N. Capasso

X-15 Senior Project Engineer X-15 Project Engineer