X-15 OPERATIONS FLIGHT REPORT

FLIGHT NO: 3-53-79 DATE OF REPORT: 8-18-66

PILOT: William H. Dana DATE OF FLIGHT: 8-4-66

CARRIER AIRCRAFT: B-52 #008 LAUNCH LAKE: Mud Lake

ENGINE NO: S/N 111 APU #1 14AN APU #2 23AN

PURPOSE OF FLIGHT: 1. Pilot Checkout

2. Heat Transfer Panel
3. Cockpit Display
4. Horizontal Tail Loads
5. Boundary Layer Noise
6. Optical Background (#25)

I. Discussion of Previous Operations A. The step heat transfer panel which was flown on Flight 3-52-78 was left on for Flight 3-53-79. II. Aircraft Configuration Changes A. The boat-tail for carrying experiments was utilized in place of the lightweight boat-tail.

B. The cockpit pressure dump-valve was changed because of some peculiarities in cockpit pressure during flight.

C. One of the gyro heaters was found to have an intermittent thermoswitch and was repaired.

D. The lower RH and rudder BLN panels were installed.

III. Instrumentation Configuration Changes A. Experiment 25 was installed in the boat-tail.

B. The upper and lower bugeye cameras were installed and wired for cine operation. This was to photograph the third skid with the lower bugeye and checkout the upper bugeye.

C. The BLN installation was completed.

IV. Preflight Events A. APU and BCS runs were accomplished on 8/1/66.

B. The aircraft was closed out and mated to B-52 #008 on 8/3/66.

V. Flight Events A. Flight 3-53-79 was accomplished on 8/4/66, no problems occurred.
Approved By: Prepared by:

Perry V. Row Vincent N. Capasso

X-15 Senior Project Engineer X-15 Project Engineer