FLIGHT NO: 3-41-64 DATE OF REPORT: 5-5-65
PILOT: Capt. Joe Engle DATE OF FLIGHT: 4-23-65
CARRIER AIRCRAFT: B-52 #008 LAUNCH LAKE: Hidden Hills
ENGINE NO: S/N 111 APU #1 14 APU #2 23
PURPOSE OF FLIGHT: 1. Heat Transfer with Surface Distortion
Panels
2. Ablative Test3. Handling Qualities Evaluation
4. Boundary Layer Noise
I. Discussion of Previous Operations
B. Flight 3-40-63 concluded a series of heating flights for local flow determination, and preparation for flight 3-41-64 included instrumentation and aircraft configuration changes in preparation for a series of altitude flights. Therefore, the conversion time period was increased slightly to allow periodic laboratory servicing of most of the instrumentation system components.
C. A series of difficulties occurred with the engine control boxes in attempting to qualify an engine for flight. Two failures occurred during the flight functional check prior to mating after a successful ground run. This was a failure of K-20 relay and S-8 pressure switch respectively. No correlation could be found between the two failures. Two boxes which were installed failed during functional checks prior to an engine run, one due to a shorted wire and one because of a broken wire. These failures were traced to a control box maintenance procedure error which has been corrected.
2. The lower BCS rocket motors were reinstalled and the BCS system reactivated.
3. A solenoid valve was installed between the emergency jettison source and #2 engine source to provide more positive isolation. The valve is powered open by the H202 stop jettison switch. A transducer was added to TM to provide real time readout of the emergency jettison source pressure.
4. A manifold, valve, and line connecting to the NH3 jettison line just aft of the NH3 jettison valve and the three NH3 drain lines was added. The valve is opened by placing the tank handle in "jettison" and may be kept closed by placing the NH3 auxiliary jettison switch in "stop". This system is to provide better in-flight jettison of NH3.
5. The engine power relay, K-101, was removed and engine power routed through the engine master switch. This change was made to standardize the aircraft to the same configuration as X-15-1 and X-15-2.
6. The nose strut was changed due to oil seepage as mentioned in previous reports. The new strut was disassembled prior to installation and the steel pins holding the upper bushing were found to protrude above the bushing. This was the condition which damaged the removed strut originally. The bushing was removed and corrected prior to installation, no damage was noted in the new strut cylinder.
7. The increased travel speed brake tension regulators were installed per applicable NAA EO's.
8. The MLG uplock hooks were removed and checked for distortion on February 18, 1965. No distortion was found.
9. The light-weight tail-cone adapter was fitted to the aircraft. The screw holes were not match drilled as the cone will not be required for several flights. The holes will be drilled at the next engine removal.
10. The "No Drop" warning light was replaced by a "23 Sec" warning light.
11. The 40~ throttle assembly was replaced by a 50~ assembly.
12. The NH3 safety valve was replaced due to leakage from the actuator to the feed line (see item IV-0).
13. The altitude predictor was installed in the instrument
panel.
2. The F-3 and F-4 ships panels were removed and the roughness and reference panels were installed.
3. The Belleville washer nose-gear door brackets were installed.
4. Ablatives, Martin material, was applied to the upper fixed vertical and a strip forward of the RH windshield.
5. The elevator lid seal was damaged and replaced.
6. Ablative material was placed on the heat shield in the nose gear compartment as a passive protection.
2. The modified Barnes spectrometer was installed in the tail cone box.
3. The 3 MM camera was removed (program completed.)
4. A microphone was mounted on the 3 MM camera mount to record in-flight cockpit noise.
5. The RH BLN panel and rake were removed.
6. All three manometers were removed.
7. The skin friction gage and cooling system was removed and stored for use on future flights.
8. The nose gear door bracket strain gages were replaced.
9. A periodic calibration of the aircraft was made, including the pilot's indicators.
10. The q vernier sensitivity
was changed from 1°/division to 2°/division.
2. The Barnes spectrometer was removed.
3. The RH BLN panel and rake were installed. The rake transducers were changed to different ranges.
4. Drag-link strain gages were reactivated.
5. Temp plates were placed in the lower speed brake area per NAA request to check temperature environment (third skid proposal.)
6. The microphone was deleted from the cockpit to record the BLN microphone (item 3 above.)
B. The MLG bell cranks and struts were removed and checked. No change was found from the last check.
C. A BCS operational check run was accomplished on February 17, 1965.
D. A short circuit at the trim transfer relay caused a trim malfunction as evidenced by a runaway condition in the aft direction when on sidestick trim. Center stick trim functioned normally.
E. Engine, APU, and BCS runs were accomplished on March 5. Cold gas was serviced for the engine run to provide a good leak check.
F. The Lox tank regulator failed to close OFF in vent just prior to the engine run and was replaced. The NH3 tank regulator was replaced during the propellant functional because of external leakage.
G. On March 8, K-20 relay failed during engine functional check, necessitating replacement of the engine control box. The flight was moved back one day to allow time for an engine run.
H. On March 8, 2nd shift, K-5 relay failed during engine functional necessitating replacement of the engine control box. The relay was failed due to an internal short in the control box. The flight was moved back another day.
I. On March 9, the governor actuator amplifier was found to be defective during the engine functional check necessitating replacement of the engine control box. This failure was due to a broken wire in the control box.
J. An engine run was accomplished on March 10, and a good engine functional check was obtained on 2nd shift.
K. The aircraft was not mated on March 11 due to rain. The flight was delayed to March 16 due to lakebed conditions.
L. The aircraft was weighed at 13,934 pounds in a ready to mate condition on March 15. Due to the wet lakebed, the aircraft was returned to the hangar and held in this condition.
M. On March 22, the S-8 pressure switch was found to be stuck closed during the engine functional check prior to mating. This necessitates an engine control box change and ground run. The flight was moved back one day.
N. On March 23, a malfunction shutdown occurred on the second throttle back during engine run. A third start was made with normal results. Data indicated a sticking governor, engine 104 was removed and 109 installed. Flight was slipped to March 30 and X-15-l scheduled for March 25.
O. Attempted engine runs on March 25 resulted in malfunction shutdowns during two of the six attempted starts, and malfunctions on throttle back due to idle being set too low. The start malfunctions were due to cavitation of the NH3 pump because of He leakage into the feed line from the safety valve actuator. The NH3 safety valve was replaced. A 50% throttle assembly was installed.
P. The stable platform computer was damaged due to brushing the power connector, inverted, against the plug with power on the aircraft. The computer was repaired and reinstalled after mating on March 29.
Q. On March 27, the H2O2 fill disconnect malfunctioned just prior to pilot entry for the engine run, draining the engine H2O2 tank. The disconnect was replaced and a run attempted. The engine malfunctioned during 3 attempted pump starts due to a stuck metering valve. Engine 109 was removed and 111 installed.
R. A satisfactory engine run and functional check was accomplished on March 29.
S. The aircraft was mated for flight on March 29.
T. Flight was canceled for weather on March 30.
U. During post mate inertial checks on March 30, the computer failed to operate on INTERNAL. A broken 28V DC wire was replaced.
V. The flight was canceled for weather on March 31. Due to condition of the lakebed, the aircraft was demated on March 31.
W. Functionals were repeated on April 1, 2, and 5. The APU-BCS run was made on April 2. The altitude predictor was installed in the instrument panel at this time.
X. On April 6, due to extreme wet condition of upper range lakebeds, the flight plan was changed to allow a Hidden Hills launch. The aircraft was held in preflight status with changes as required for the revised flight plan, including removal of the altitude predictor.
Y. Rains occurred again on April 8 and 9 at Edwards, delaying flight further.
Z. Preflight functionals were repeated due to time requirements. APU run was accomplished on April 20, BCS was no longer a flight requirement.
AA. The aircraft was mated for flight on April 21. Flight was not attempted on April 22 due to the simulator being out of commission for pilot preparation.
B. The LH drag-link guide (phenolic block) was found to be cracked after the flight.
C. The aircraft was weighed after landing on the lakebed.
D. No problems occurred during the flight.
Perry V. Row Vincent N. Capasso
X-15 Senior Project Engineer X-15 Project Engineer