X-15 OPERATIONS FLIGHT REPORT

FLIGHT NO: 3-38-61 DATE OF REPORT: 1-11-65

PILOT: Maj. Rushworth DATE OF FLIGHT: 12-22-64

CARRIER AIRCRAFT: B-52 #003 LAUNCH LAKE: Hidden Hills

PURPOSE OF FLIGHT: 1. Skin Friction
 

2. Test of General Electric Ablative Material

3. Non-uniform, 3 Dimension Flow Field Measurements

4. Landing Gear Door Modification Checkout

5. Boundary Layer Noise


I. Discussion of Previous Operations

None II. Aircraft Configuration Changes A. YLR-99 engine S/N 106 was replaced by S/N 103 for lox lube seal leakage.

B. APU S/N 20 (#2 system) was replaced by S/N 23 for hydraulic pump leakage. Hydraulic reservoirs for both systems were replaced because of recent chronic leakage of gas past the reservoir seal into the hydraulic system. The controller for #1 APU was replaced.

C. A heater was added to the main chamber pressure sensing line on the LH side of the engine bay running aft to the ยทP transducers.

D. The RH flap and a patch on the NH3 tank was painted white by NAA to test the paint.

E. The following test panels were utilized:

F-3 Langley Purple blend ablative

F-4 General Electric ablative

F-31 No change

F-32 No change

 III. Instrumentation Configuration Changes A. The ball nose was replaced due to internal leakage in the pitot sensing system. The pitot QD was changed to hard line fittings. IV. Preflight Events A. APU runs were accomplished on December 12, 1964.

B. The aircraft was mated for flight on December 16, 1964.

C. Flight was not attempted on December 17 due to lack of support aircraft.

D. Flight was canceled during servicing on December 18 because of engine lube oil leakage at the lox pump lube seal drain.

E. The aircraft was demated on December 18 and the YLR-99 engine changed. The ball nose pitot sensing was found to be leaking internally and the ball nose was changed.

F. A satisfactory engine run was made on December 19, 1964.

G. The aircraft was mated for flight on December 21, 1964.

 V. Flight Events A. No problems were encountered during flight 3-38-61 on December 22, 1964. A cross wind landing was made due to unavailability of runway 23 resulting in unusual gear side loads. A complete MLG inspection will be accomplished.
  Approved By: Prepared by:

Perry V. Row Vincent N. Capasso

X-15 Senior Project Engineer X-15 Project Engineer