THE ORIGINAL GOVERNMENT PLAN

As North American continued to manufacture the three X-15s, personnel at the High Speed Flight Station (HSFS) began to plan how they would test the new airplane. During the admittedly brief history of the research airplane program, flight research had been conducted as a cooperative venture of varying degrees with the Air Force and/or Navy. Usually the contractor would first demonstrate the basic flight worthiness of the aircraft and then turn it over to the military service that had funded its development (the Air Force for the X-planes, or the Navy for the Douglas D – 558 series). The military would then conduct a flight-envelope-expansion program with some NACA participation. For instance, the civilian agency normally supplied the instrumentation and research expertise. At some point after the military had obtained the data it desired, it would turn the airplanes over to the NACA, which then conducted a series of purely research-oriented flights to validate wind-tunnel and other predictive techniques. The flight tests at the HSFS had followed a predictable pattern. All flight operations, maintenance, instrumentation, data reduction, research engineering, reporting, and project control were accomplished by NACA personnel. The Air Force supplied support services such as engine overhaul, chase aircraft, carrier aircraft operations, and the usual air base functions (crash trucks, medical services, etc.).[33]

In the case of the X-15, the original memorandum of understanding signed by the members of the Research Airplane Committee stated simply that "upon acceptance of the airplane and its related equipment from the contractor, it will be turned over to the NACA, who shall conduct the flight tests and report the results of same." There was no provision in the MoU for Air Force flights. From experience, however, Walt Williams believed that the Air Force would want to conduct a program of its own. The Air Force substantiated this when it briefly proposed building a fourth airplane for the exclusive use of the AFFTC. The Research Airplane Committee, and others, did not agree and instead believed that the best arrangement would be to operate the three X – 15s on a cooperative basis.-134

The NACA was not sure it really wanted the Air Force to be involved in the flight program. The NACA in general, and Walt Williams in particular, had a severe lack of confidence in the Air Force based largely on the poor management of the X-2 envelope-expansion program, which had resulted in the loss of both airplanes and the death of Mel Apt. It was a long and uphill battle for the AFFTC to establish a relationship wherein the HSFS management would appreciate the necessity for AFFTC support, and thus the need to allow some level of AFFTC participation.-1351 It eventually succeeded.

As the flight program neared, the Air Force wanted to formalize the responsibilities delegated to each organization. The AFFTC, in particular, wanted to expand its role, and expressed on several occasions a desire to change the original MoU. Failing to do that, the AFFTC rather arbitrarily assigned itself the duties of operating the Rocket Engine Test Facility and the carrier aircraft. Williams did not consider this "of any serious consequence" since similar arrangements had worked satisfactorily in the past.-36 was unable to attend. Williams, true to form, bluntly asked the Air Force representatives exactly what the Air Force’s desires were. Kincheloe stated that the AFFTC would like to take over the entire job—it wanted everything it could get. On the other hand, Kincheloe stated that he did not believe the AFFTC personnel were technically qualified to conduct such a program, and as a result they wanted to work with the NACA. The underlying tone was that the AFFTC personnel felt uninformed on the progress of the program, something Williams indicated that he would try to correct. All in attendance agreed, however, that Edwards should present a unified view to the outside world, and that the AFFTC and HSFS should internally coordinate their answers before publicly announcing them.[37]

Actually, the two groups had already taken this tack during the mockup inspection. Engineers from the AFFTC and HSFS had met prior to and again during the inspection to discuss what items needed to be changed. Several other items, particularly the switch from a B-36 to a B-52 carrier aircraft, had also resulted from pre-coordinated joint action. In spite of this, the AFFTC representatives still felt that they were not receiving sufficient consideration on the program and wanted a more formal agreement finalized.[38]

This led to a discussion of missions and objectives. The AFTTC pointed out that it wanted its engineering staff to benefit from active participation in the entire program. This would allow the Air Force engineers to become familiar with advanced technology for evaluating future weapons systems, which was, after all, their primary job. Of particular concern was that the NACA was specifying the research instrumentation without AFFTC input. Williams pointed out that the main reason NASA had not consulted AFFTC personnel concerning instrumentation was that they lacked the experience to make any significant contributions. Indeed, the researchers at the HSFS were largely dependent on the scientists at Langley and Lewis for advice since nobody had ever designed instrumentation to measure the aero-thermo environment expected for the X-15.[39]

At the end of the meeting, Williams pointed out that the NACA was primarily responsible for research into structures, handling qualities, and flight techniques, and therefore needed to have the primary responsibility for the X-15 program. This had been the rationale behind the original MoU. Nevertheless, Williams was smart enough to know that he needed the support of the AFFTC personnel, and besides, many of their observations were valid-they needed to be involved in the program in order to sharpen their skills for evaluating future weapons systems. Much more so than NASA, the NACA existed primarily to provide data that were useful to the industry and the military services that paid most of the bills.[40]

In an attempt to satisfy everybody concerned, Williams agreed to set up the X-15 Flight Test Steering Committee as a logical successor to similar committees used on previous programs. However, Williams emphasized that the NACA "had no intention whatsoever" of relinquishing the technical direction of the program per the original MoU. To ensure that this was the case, Williams appointed himself chairman of the committee and reserved the controlling vote. Other members of the committee were the AFFTC X-15 project engineer, the HSFS X-15 project engineer, and a test pilot from each organization. Initially the NACA personnel were Kenneth S. Kleinknecht, Joseph A. Walker, and Hubert M. Drake, respectively; Richard Harer, Iven Kincheloe, and an undetermined engineer represented the Air Force. The Air Force’s Paul Bikle would act as an advisor to the committee, somewhat countering Williams and his unilateral veto authority. It was the beginning of a long association between Bikle and the X-15.[41]

intent of the [X-15] program have to be cleared with NACA Headquarters. It is presumed there are similar restrictions on the [Air Force] Flight Test Center. It should be understood at the outset, therefore, that the steering committee would have jurisdiction only in regard to matters that would normally come under the jurisdiction of the Flight Test Center or the High-Speed Flight Station." At the same time, Dryden wrote to Lieutenant General Donald L. Putt on 2 October 1957 indicating he had authorized Williams to participate in such a committee, and urged Putt to authorize the AFFTC to participate. Eventually this group morphed into the X-15 Joint Operations Committee and was responsible for coordinating most of the X-15 flight program. Some references indicate that the Navy had membership on the X-15 Joint Operations Committee.*42!

Soon after Dryden wrote this, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, diverting the attention of Headquarters elsewhere. At the end of 1957, NASA disbanded the Interlaboratory Research Airplane Projects Panel; for the next decade, oversight for the X-15 would come from the Research Airplane Committee run by Hugh Dryden.

Although the development of the X-15 had carried the System 644L designation, the initial flight program was designated System 605A. An R&D project card was prepared that outlined the extent of the test series, as well as the anticipated funding requirements. At the time, the AFFTC optimistically expected that 300 flights would be made over a five-year period beginning in July 1959 from air-launch sites located above Cuddeback Lake, Silver Lake, Mud Lake, Jakes Lake, and the Bonneville Salt Flats. The anticipated funding was $2,400,000 in FY60, $2,386,000 in FY61, and $2,325,000 for each of the next three years.*43!

The X-15 Joint Operations Committee coordinated the flight program and could call on support from other organizations as needed. The FRC was responsible for the maintenance and logistics of the three X-15s, while the AFFTC maintained the two NB-52s. An exception to this was that the FRC maintained the unique launch equipment on the NB-52s. Technically, flying the NB-52s was a joint project, but in reality a NASA pilot never flew the airplanes; the FRC did, however, supply the launch panel operators. NASA was responsible for data collection and analysis, with support from the Air Force as needed (or desired by the Air Force). All aircraft instrumentation, as well as High Range operation and maintenance, was the responsibility of NASA. The AFFTC was responsible for the biomedical instrumentation package, and maintained the David Clark full – pressure suits and rescue apparatus (parachutes, etc.). The Air Force provided most support aircraft (C-130s, H-21s, and chase aircraft), although NASA began to provide more chase aircraft as the program continued, and the Navy briefly contributed a Douglas F5D Skyray. It was not unusual for NASA pilots to fly AFFTC chase planes.*441

The AFFTC supplied all of the propellants and gases necessary for X-15 and NB-52 operation, and was responsible for all maintenance of uninstalled engines (XLR11 and XLR99) and engine overhauls. The Air Force maintained and operated the Rocket Engine Test Facility used for ground-engine runs. NASA was responsible for installing engines in the X-15s, performing maintenance and inspections of installed engines, and conducting the ground runs using the AFFTC test stands. As the program continued, NASA began to perform more maintenance on the XLR99 engines, including recoating the nozzles. The AFFTC maintained the X-15 APUs and was responsible for all engine, APU, and stable-platform logistics.*451

The Air Force marked and maintained the lakebeds; provided inter-agency coordination (e. g., with the FAA); supplied medical, fire, and security personnel as needed; and operated the long-range camera facilities. The Air Force also operated and maintained several radar facilities that were not part of the High Range but nonetheless generated data to support the flight program. NASA provided maintenance for the stable platform (and later the inertial systems) and the ball nose, since both of these were considered research instrumentation. It was a complicated agreement but it worked remarkably well.[46]

The AFFTC expected the ARDC (and later the Systems Command) to "establish, fund, and monitor an open call type contract with North American Aviation, Inc. to furnish such articles and supplies and perform for the Government such services as may be required." Similar contracts existed with Reaction Motors for the engines, and with Sperry for the stable platform.-47