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National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration Volume 47 Issue 6 Dryden Flight Research Center October 21, 2005 1957-2005 A tribute to Bohn-Meyer ■ Family, friends and peers celebrate the life of Dryden chief engineer at memorial By Sarah Merlin X-Press Assistant Editor Few tasks in life come harder than memorializing a well-lived life cut tragi- cally short. There’s the terrible abruptness of the news. A sudden, inexplicable end to so much promise, the silencing of a voice filled with great zest for living – words and rituals seem hopelessly insubstantial in the face of such loss. But on those occasions there is also the chance for a redeeming moment, for an opportunity to make sense of a tragedy if only through the promise it holds for those left behind. Marta Bohn-Meyer’s legacy is surely one of those moments. Despite the almost incomprehensible sadness of her loss, she leaves behind the record of a life spent in relentless pursuit of excellence, passion and service to principles larger than herself. She leaves behind a fearless example for living that makes those who didn’t know her wish they had, and one that those who knew her owe it to her EC86 33442-2 NASA Photo memory to sustain. Marta Bohn-Meyer prepares for flight in an F-104. Beginning in her teen years, Bohn-Meyer’s favorite place was in and around airplanes both at work and See Marta, page 4 while off duty. She was an accomplished private pilot and flight engineer, and was the first female crew member to fly at Mach 3 in the SR-71. Schneider walks the Walk Dryden By Sarah Merlin X-Press Assistant Editor Many know him as “Fast Eddie,” the whiz set for kid NASA test pilot who was the youngest-ever graduate of the U.S. Navy’s Test Pilot School. But it was a lot more than youthful cha- risma that earned Edward T. Schneider his CEV role slot on the City of Lancaster Aerospace Walk of Honor. It was a long list of accomplish- By Jay Levine ments as test pilot, instructor and researcher X-Press Editor in a career in which he logged more than As steps are taken during the next two 7,800 hours in 87 types of aircraft. decades to develop a Crew Exploration In ceremonies held Sept. 24, Schneider Vehicle – using the Apollo missions of joined Lt. Col. John “Jack” Allavie (USAF- the past as a blueprint for future mis- Ret.), Richard G. “Dick” Thomas, Maj. sions to the Moon and Mars – Dryden Gen. Wilbert D. “Doug” Pearson (USAF- will play important roles in the CEV’s Ret.) and Wallace A. “Wally” Lien (1915- development and operations. 1994) to make up the 2005 class of induct- In a Sept. 19 overview of the proposed ees. This year marked the city’s 16th annual CEV program (referred to as the NASA Walk of Honor event. Exploration Systems Architecture EC05 207-4 NASA Photo by Jim Ross “It’s great to be honored in this manner Study), NASA Administrator Michael Former Dryden research pilot Ed Schneider signs autographs for young aviation enthusiasts at and to return to a city where my family spent Griffin indicated that each NASA the City of Lancaster Aerospace Walk of Honor. Schneider was one of five 2005 inductees, who also included former Edwards Air Force Base commander Maj. Gen. Wilbert D. “Doug” Pearson See Study, page 11 See Walk of Honor, page 12 (USAF-Ret.). Inside Pathfinder-Plus completes Three X-15 pilots receive long- Thermal updraft model Vance Brand honored by flight series, page 3 overdue wings, page 6 validated by flight, page 10 JetHawks, page 12 News October 21, 2005 Center Director’s column News Dryden will play role in CEV development The results of NASA’s Exploration This de- centers to do more Exploration Systems at NASA Systems Architecture Study are now more velopment work directly. The workforce outlook at broadly available and Dryden’s role in comes at a Dryden is much better than six months support of the Crew Exploration Vehicle time when ago. It now appears that our civil service E n d e a v o u r development is becoming clearer. The Cen- m u c h i s workforce will stabilize at our present level ter is slated to perform launch-abort test- changing in of roughly 500 people. powered up ing, flight-test support and independent NASA and The aeronautics mission at NASA is in analysis. We are tasked with preliminary D r y d e n’s transition, and it will take two to three for first time definition and planning for CEV launch- aeronautics months for the new direction to become abort systems tests, drop tests, landing and activities are clear. Meanwhile, we are to continue what in two years Engineers cheered Oct. 6 as electricity recovery tests, flight re-entry and landing being rede- we have been doing until the realignment coursed through Space Shuttle Endeav- profiles and range-safety requirements and fined. But efforts are better defined. Projections are our for the first time in two years. The integration. Ad m i n i s - that aeronautics will continue to be a powering of Endeavour signaled the Exactly what this will mean in terms of trator Mike dominant part of our budget in fiscal year Center Director end of the orbiter’s major modification Dryden’s level of support remains to be Griffin in- Kevin L. Petersen 2006. After that (and maybe before then), period at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. charted and will depend on further defini- tends to re- it should take all the capabilities we can “Having three operational vehicles in tion of CEV development needs. But we direct work to NASA centers, like Dryden, muster to support the CEV. I encourage the fleet affords the shuttle program great will soon be looking for people to lead and that are losing aeronautics project activity. all of you to be thinking about your role in schedule flexibility, as we move toward implement our CEV efforts. NASA is also moving toward enabling the supporting these new directions. flying safely and completing the Interna- tional Space Station,” said Wayne Hale, space shuttle program manager. Dryden set for Open House Engineers and technicians spent 900,000 hours performing 124 modi- By Alan Brown venerable NB-52B “mothership” launch celebrating Edwards’ long history of con- fications to the vehicle. These included Dryden News Chief aircraft to a full-scale mockup of the X-43A tributions to the U.S. Air Force and the recommended return-to-flight safety Dryden will be among exhibitors featured hypersonic research vehicle, the exhibit will national defense set to begin each day at 10 modifications, bonding more than 1,000 at the 2005 Edwards Air Force Base Open highlight the cutting-edge flight research a.m. Flight highlights will include appear- thermal protection system tiles and in- House and Air Show Oct. 22-23, with four and technology development conducted ances by the U.S. Army Golden Knights specting more than 150 miles of wiring. NASA research and support aircraft slated each year at Dryden. A new display for parachute team, the Tora, Tora, Tora re-en- Two of the more extensive modifica- to be in the air and several others on static this year’s show will feature replicas of the actment of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and tions included addition of the multi- display. Mars Rovers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion a precision-formation flight demonstration functional electronic display system One of NASA’s high-flying Lockheed Laboratory. from the Royal Netherlands Air Force. (glass cockpit), and the three-string ER-2s and a highly modified McDonnell As NASA’s premier center for atmo- Other scheduled highlights include global positioning system. Douglas F-15B will be airborne during the spheric flight research, several exhibits aerospace legend Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager The glass cockpit is a new, full-color, event, along with two Dryden mission sup- showcasing Dryden’s research capabilities (USAF-Ret.) flying a World War II-era flat-panel display system that improves port aircraft – a Beechcraft NT-34C and a and history will be intermingled among the North American P-51 Mustang and Julie interaction between the crew and orbiter. McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18. The ER-2 is NASA aircraft. Several current and former Clark performing an aerobatic routine It provides easy-to-read graphics portraying flown in Earth resources research and satel- Dryden research pilots and engineers will in a T-34. key flight indicators such as attitude display lite sensor validation, while the F-15B, best be on hand to chat with the public. In addi- The event showcases the aircraft systems and Mach speed. Endeavour was the last known for its role in the Advanced Control tion, local high school robotic and middle and capabilities of the Air Force Flight Test vehicle in the fleet to receive this system. Technology for Integrated Vehicles project, school Lego teams supported by Dryden Center, Dryden Flight Research Center, Shuttle major modification periods is currently the testbed for Intelligent Flight will explain their program and demonstrate the Air Force Research Laboratory Propul- are scheduled at regular intervals to Controls Systems research. robots in action as part of the exhibit. sion Directorate, Marine Aircraft Group enhance safety and performance, infuse Static displays and exhibits featuring several Participating schools include Lancaster, 46 and other resident and visiting units. new technology and allow thorough of Dryden’s projects and one-of-a-kind re- Mojave and Tehachapi high schools along Additional information is available on inspections of the airframe and wir- search aircraft will be housed in a 300-square- with Cole, Jacobsen and Desert Christian the Open House and Air Show web site ing.