X-15 OPERATIONS FLIGHT REPORT



FLIGHT NO: 1-77-136 DATE OF REPORT: June 19, 1968

PILOT: William H. Dana DATE OF FLIGHT: June 12, 1968

CARRIER AIRCRAFT: B-52 #008 LAUNCH LAKE: Smith's Ranch

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

PURPOSE OF FLIGHT: 1. WTR Experiment (20)
 

2. Horizon Scanner (17)

3. Fixed Ball Nose (31)


I. Discussion of Previous Operations

A. None II. Configuration Changes A. At the pilot's request new sunshades were installed.

B. The wing tips and selected wing areas were X-ray inspected.

C. The MIT experiment was removed and sent to MIT for calibration. The experiment was returned after calibration and reinstalled.

D. The Saturn insulation panels were removed from the speed brakes. New panels were installed on the lower speed brakes prior to learning that the profile was not suitable for obtaining data.

E. The WTR experiment was reinstalled without the radiometer for the flight. When the delay occurred, the radiometer was installed. A wiring problem was found which could prevent normal retraction of the experiment while in "track" mode.

F. The SAS gyro was replaced with a new gyro.

G. The wing rocket check valves were found to be leaking through and were replaced.

H. The regulated DC power supply for pitch angle set was installed.

I. The right hand BCS jettison valve was leaking through. Since there were no spares, the valve was overhauled. The "O" rings were found to be bad.

J. The pilot's O2 selector valve leaked through and was replaced.

K. Heel guards were installed on the back of the straddle panel.

L. With slippage to 23 May (see item III, B), some time compliance items were accomplished including replacement of the canopy remover.

M. Wing tip pod cameras were moved to look at the horizontals and the lenses changed from 2 inch to 1 inch.

N. The engine control box was changed on 24 May. (ref. III, F). Functionals were repeated with engine, APU, and BCS runs on 27 May. A leaky RAS valve was replaced and the BCS run repeated on 28 May.

O. The NH3 regulator was changed on 6 June. The regulator stuck open during A/C cleanup following cancellation on 5 June.

III. Preflight Events A. APU-BCS runs were accomplished on 8 May.

B. On 10 May flight was rescheduled from 12 May to 22 May due the missile schedule slippage. On 13 May the missile schedule moved to 23 May.

C. The aircraft was on display for Armed Forces Day from 18 May through 19 May.

D. Due to cancellation of the missile for 23 May, flight was scheduled for 22 May. The aircraft was mated to B-52 #008 on 21 May.

E. Flight was canceled on 22 May due to launch lake weather.

F. Flight l-A-135 was aborted on 23 May for weather at the launch lake. A problem occurred in the engine in attaining igniter idle after flight was aborted.

G. The aircraft was mated to B-52 #008 on 4 June. Flight was canceled for weather on 5 June. Since a missile was scheduled for 11 June the aircraft was demated for the HL-10.

H. Flight on 11 June was canceled on 10 June due to rain at Smith's Ranch.

IV. Flight Events A. Servicing on 12 June was accomplished with only one problem, a TAVCO fitting broke while attaching the service hose. The fitting was replaced for the flight. Subsequent disassemble revealed a design problem due to eccentric loading if the valve sticks while opening or is forced against the open stop. Schraders have been installed until the TAVCO's can be reworked.

B. Engine shutdown occurred a few seconds earlier than expected due to fuel depletion. The MPV NH3 prime seal was found to be leaking during post flight checks.

C. The WTR experiment did not start the retract cycle when the switch was thrown, but started the cycle 10 seconds later. Retraction was completed using emergency retract. This is under investigation.
 

Approve By: Prepared by:

Perry V. Row Vincent N. Capasso

X-15 Senior Project Engineer X-15 Project Engineer