X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 3-28-45 Scheduled Date: March 31, 1964

Pilot: John B. McKay

Purpose: Heat Transfer and skin friction experiments with the sharp upper vertical fin and boundary layer noise experiment.

Launch: Hidden Hills on a magnetic heading of 212°, MH-96 Adaptive, R.C. "OFF," BCS "OFF," heading vernier to "Standby," ventral off.

Launch point coordinates: 36° 20' N, 115° 59' W.

No. Time Alt V a q Event

1. 0 45 790 2 145 Launch, light engine, increase to 100%T. Rotate at 10° a until q = 20°.

2. 17 46 1500 10 495 q = 20° - Maintain q = 20°.

3. 34 54 2350 4 850 Pushover to 0 "g." (H-dot = 600 fps)

4. 51 63 3400 0 1130 Reduce to minimum thrust (» 40%).

5. 57 65 3600 0 1140 Modulate speed brakes to maintain slow longitudinal acceleration.

6. 65 67 3750 0 1150 Increase a to maintain H-dot » 50 ft/sec.

7. 110 69 4070 3 1200 Burnout. Retract speed brakes, pushover to 0 a, descend at » 200 ft/sec.

8. 122 69 3650 0 1000 q = 1000 psf - maintain q » 1000 psf until H = 65,000 ft.

9. 142 65 3300 3 1000 Increase a to maintain H » 65,000 ft to Cuddeback. Roll Hold off. Switch to fixed gain in Yaw, Roll, and Pitch at pilot's discretion, perform control inputs in all three axes.

10. 195 65 2200 5 440 Cuddeback, switch to adaptive in Pitch, Roll, and Yaw - Vector to High Key, speed brakes as required.

11. High Key. Check flap and "Squat" circuit breakers in.

12. Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data "Off."

Notes:

1. q vernier will be set at 20°, a cross-pointer null at 0°.

2. Emergency lakes: Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 9 minutes.

4. Flight plan based on 59,200lb thrust engine.

Minimum thrust = 30,500lb.

Total burn time at 100% = 82 sec.

Launch Wt. = 33,000lb Burnout Wt. = 15,000lb

Ground Rules For No Launch:
1. Radio, Radar, or TM malfunction.

2. FCS malfunctions as indicated on Analyzer check list.

3. Malfunction of Ball Nose.

4. Malfunction of inertial platform attitudes.

5. APU gear box malfunction.

Alternate Situations After Launch:

	Failure	Action

1.	Radio or Radar	Proceed as planned.

2.	Total Pitch/Roll Damper	Turn Yaw OFF, maintain a > 0. Proceed as planned. Do not use hold modes.

3.	Total Yaw Damper Fixed Gain in any axis	Proceed as planned. Do not use hold modes.

4.	Attitude	Proceed as planned except use 4.5° a in place of 20° q at 17 seconds. Do not use f hold.

5.	Ball Nose	Heading vernier to "^·y," proceed, use 1.8g for rotation. Do not use a hold.

6.	Delayed engine light	Pushover to 0 g at H = 52,000 ft. (H-dot = 700 fps).

7. Inadvertent engine shutdown:

0 - 46 sec Hidden Hills

46 - 51 sec Cuddeback (3000 fps)

51 - Up sec Edwards (3400 fps)


1.	0	45	790	2	145	Launch, light engine, increase to 100%T. Rotate at 10° a until q = 20°.

2.	17	46	1500	10	495	q = 20° - Maintain q = 20°.

3.	34	54	2350	4	850	Pushover to 0 "g." (H-dot = 600 fps)

4.	51	63	3400	0	1130	Reduce to minimum thrust (» 40%).

5.	57	65	3600	0	1140	Modulate speed brakes to maintain slow longitudinal acceleration.

6.	65	67	3750	0	1150	Increase a to maintain H-dot » 50 ft/sec.

7.	110	69	4070	3	1200	Burnout. Retract speed brakes, pushover to 0 a, descend at » 200 ft/sec.

8.	122	69	3650	0	1000	q = 1000 psf - maintain q » 1000 psf until H = 65,000 ft.

9.	142	65	3300	3	1000	Increase a to maintain H » 65,000 ft to Cuddeback. Roll Hold off. Switch to fixed gain in Yaw, Roll, and Pitch at pilot's discretion, perform control inputs in all three axes.

10.	195	65	2200	5	440	Cuddeback, switch to adaptive in Pitch, Roll, and Yaw - Vector to High Key, speed brakes as required.

11.						High Key. Check flap and "Squat" circuit breakers in.

12.						Before APU shutdown, cycle flaps, set stabilizer trim to zero, data "Off."