X-15 FLIGHT REQUEST

Flight No.: 3-36-58 Scheduled Date: October 29, 1964

Pilot: Milton O. Thompson

Purpose: To obtain data for the following programs:
 

1. Landing Gear Door Modification Checkout - (Dick Rosecrans)

2. Boundary layer noise - (Tom Lewis)

3. Shear Layer checkout - (Bob Quinn)

4. Center stick controller evaluation - (Glenn Robinson)


Instrumentation Engineer: Febo Bartoli

Launch: Hidden Hills on a magnetic heading of 230°, MH-96 Adaptive, R.C. "OFF," BCS "OFF," heading vernier to "Standby," ventral off.

Launch point coordinates: 35° 55' N, 115° 39' 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. 18 46 1600 10 560 q = 20° - Maintain q = 20°.
             
3. 28 50 2000 5 730 Extend speed brakes to 35°.
             
4. 49 64 2850 4 760 Pushover to zero g. (H dot » 800 fps)
             
5. 74 80 4500 0 880 Shutdown, retract speed brakes. Maintain a = 0 until q = 700 psf (H dot » -150 fps).
             
6. 94 81 4200 0 720 Roll to » 60° left bank, increase a to 9°, maintain q = 700 psf, H dot » -150 fps (g » 2.0).
             
7. 105 80 4000 9 700 BLN data point.
             
8. 114 78 3800 9 700 Pushover to » 4° a, roll level, maintain q = 700 psf (H dot » -200 fps, magnetic heading » 210°).
             
9. 158 70 3200 4 700 Roll to » 70° right bank, increase a to 9°, maintain q = 700 psf (H dot » -250 fps, g »2.5).
             
10. 169 68 3000 9 700 BLN data point.
             
11. 177 65 2800 9 700 Pushover to a» 4° a, roll level (magnetic heading » 240°).
             
12. 190 62 2600 4 700 Abeam Cuddeback, vector to high key, speed brakes as required.
             
13. 200 60 2300 4 600 Yaw and Roll dampers OFF. Use center stick controller to vector to high key.
             
14.           High Key. Roll and Yaw dampers adaptive, check flap and "Squat" circuit breakers in.
             
15.           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 4°.

2. Emergency lakes: Cuddeback.

3. Flight duration: Approximately 8 minutes.

4. Flight plan based on 58,750lb thrust. Engine #103.

Total burn time at 100% = 80.5 sec.

Launch Wt. = 33,450lb Burnout Wt. = 15,500lb

(300lb allowed for in-flight jettison check)
 

 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.
 

 Alternate Situations After Launch:
  Failure   Action
       
1. Radio or Radar   Proceed as planned.
       
2. Total Pitch/Roll Damper   Turn Yaw OFF, maintain a > 0. Perform roll maneuvers at pilot's discretion.
       
3. Total Yaw Damper

Fixed Gain in any axis

   Proceed as planned. Perform roll maneuvers at pilot's discretion.
       
4. Attitude   Use 4.5° a in place of 20° q at 18 sec.
       
5. Ball Nose   Rotate at 1.8g instead of 10° a. Do not disengage dampers.
       
6. Delayed engine light   Proceed as planned.

7. Inadvertent engine shutdown:

0 - 47 sec Hidden Hills

47 - 55 sec Cuddeback (2800 fps)

55 - Up sec Edwards (3200 fps)