The Syrian airfield prepare for reception of military aircraft of China
The latest news about fast emergence in borders of Syria of navy of China encouraged Syrians and res[...]
Selected Biographies
Although 15 pilots were assigned to the X-15 program, only 12 of them actually flew the airplane. Al White was the backup pilot for Scott Crossfield and never needed to take over. Iven Kincheloe was the initial Air Force project pilot, but he died in an accident before the first airplane was delivered. NASA reassigned John Manke to the lifting-body program after the loss of X-15-3, before he was able to fly the X-15. In each of the four groups of government pilots, an equal number came from the Air Force and NASA. The following table shows the pilots in the order of their selection by the program:
|
Name |
Pilot at Edwards |
Assigned to X-15 |
Left the X-15 |
|
Scott Crossfield |
1950-1960 |
September 1955 |
December 1960 |
|
Al White |
1954-1966 |
September 1955 |
December 1960 |
|
Iven Kincheloe |
1955-1958 |
April 1958 |
July 1958 |
|
Bob White |
1955-1963 |
April 1958 |
December 1962 |
|
Bob Rushworth |
1957-1967 |
April 1958 |
July 1966 |
|
Joe Walker |
1951-1966 |
April 1958 |
August 1963 |
|
Jack McKay |
1951-1971 |
April 1958 |
September 1966 |
|
Neil Armstrong |
1955-1962 |
April 1958 |
August 1962 |
|
Forrest Petersen |
1958-1962 |
August 1958 |
February 1962 |
|
Joe Engle |
1962-1966 |
June 1963 |
April 1966 |
|
Milt Thompson |
1956-1967 |
June 1963 |
August 1965 |
|
Pete Knight |
1958-1969/1979-1982 |
May 1965 |
December 1968 |
|
Bill Dana |
1959-1991 |
May 1965 |
December 1968 |
|
Mike Adams |
1963-1967 |
July 1966 |
November 1967 |
|
John Manke |
1963-1975 |
July 1966 |
November 1967 |
There were also plans to allow four Dyna-Soar pilots to fly the X-15 before Robert McNamara canceled that program, and some sources have indicated that Jacqueline Cochran attempted to get permission to fly the X-15 to set the women’s speed and altitude records.-11