Rencontre avec John Griffith, Pilote d'essai du NACA

Rencontre avec John H. Griffith (né le 19 mai 1921), ancien pilote d'essai du NACA qui a piloté le X-1, X-4, D-558-1 et D-558-2.

Souvenirs recueillis en décembre 2003

Pouvez vous nous parler un peu de vous et nous dire comment vous avez été engagé comme pilote d’essai par le NACA ?

Je suis originaire de l’Illinois (Homewood). 

Après mes études, je rentre en 1941 dans l’Army Air Corps (avant que celle-ci ne devienne l’US Air Force) et j’effectue près de 200 missions de combat en P-40 en Nouvelle-Guinée lors de la 2ème guerre. 

En 1946, je reprends des études d’ingénieur aéronautique à l’Université Purdue et je rejoins le NACA en 1948 au Laboratoire Lewis à Cleveland puis devient pilote d’essai à Muroc en 1949 (aujourd4Hui Dryden).

Comment se déroulait un vol-type de XS-1 ?

Très tôt le matin, nous remplissions les réservoirs du X-1 avec le carburant (oxygène liquide, nitrogène, alcool) afin d’éviter les risques causé par la chaleur, car il faisait très chaud à Muroc. Ensuite le XS-1 était amené à une fosse afin d’être accroché sous le B-29 comme une bombe.

Après le décollage, lorsque nous avions atteint une altitude de 3000 mètres, je me glissai dans le cockpit du X-1. Si vous avez vu The Right Stuff (l’Etoffe des Héros), vous constaterez que ce n’était pas sans risques. A l’intérieur, je m’harnachais, me sanglais, et passaiS toute la check list et les procédures preflight en revue. Le temps était compté… Il fallait que je sois prêt lorsque nous atteignons la zone de largage. De toute façon, prêt ou pas, le pilote nous aurait largué (rires…).

A environ 9 000 mètres, j’étais largué… J’allumai 2 de mes moteurs et grimpait très vite à près de 17 000 mètres. Puis commençait la descente à Mach 0.8. J’allumai ensuite les autres moteurs. 

Le pilotage était assez ‘’costaud’’ jusqu’à Mach 1, Mach 1.2 car l’avion était lourd à cause du carburant qu’il emportait. Lorsque nous avions épuisé tout ce carburant, le pilotage redevenait un peu plus facile. Durant cette phase propulsée, je faisais plein de manœuvres afin de tester l’appareil (G, roulis, virages, stabilisation, etc…).

Je redescendais et atterrissais sans moteur, comme un planeur (glide phase). Piloter le X-1 reste un de mes grands moments de ma vie de pilote.

Vous avez piloté d’autres X-Planes, qu’en pensiez-vous ?

J’ai eu la chance de piloter d’autres X-Planes en un temps très court. 

Durant un peu plus d’un an, j’ai piloté 9 fois le X-1, 7 fois le X-4 dont j’ai effectué le 1er vol NACA, 16 fois le D-558-1 et 8 fois le D-558-2. C’était à chaque fois des avions exigeants mais remarquables par leur conception. 

Il faut savoir que chacun de ces avions était différent car ils avaient un rôle différent et spécifique. Le pilotage était donc différent, mais quel plaisir…

Après avoir quitté le NACA, qu’avez-vous fait ensuite ?

Je suis devenu Chef-pilote d’essai chez Chance Vought où j’ai participé au développement du F7U Cutlass. J’ai aussi été chef-pilote d’essai et chef-instructeur chez United Airlines. 

J’ai travaillé avec la FAA sur le projet d’un avion de ligne supersonique avant que le projet soit annulé et qui devait concurrencer le Concorde. Et maintenant, je suis un paisible retraité qui s’occupe de lui-même (Rires…)

Interview de Pamela Leetsma, 1ère institutrice a participer au X-Rocket Teacher in Space / Programme Archangel

En mars 2005, Pamela Leetsma, Institutrice à la Valley Christian Elementary School de Bellflower en Californie, devient la première participante d'un programme qui devait permettre aux instituteurs et professeurs de voler à bord d'un engin de la Société X-Rocket LCC et qui devait atteindre environ 60-70 km d'altitude. 

L'enseignant, ainsi, était plus à même de partager les sensations d'un vol spatial (ou presque) et de permettre de donner le ''goût'' à leurs élèves des études scientifiques.

Ce programme s'intitulait Archangel Aerospace Trainer.

Le projet initial devait faire envoyer 200 enseignants par an (4 par états) ''aux frontières de l'espace'' pour un budget d'environ 25 millions de dollars à bord d'une flotte de petits vaisseaux suborbitaux.

Edward Wright, président de X-Rocket, déclarait en 2005 : ''X-Rocket plans to operate a fleet of suborbital aerospace trainers that will serve multiple functions, from advanced test pilot training to adventure tourism experiences to Teacher in Space flights. The company's motto is "Spaceflight for the rest of us."

"Suborbital vehicles now under development will carry people into space much more affordably than the Shuttle or CEV. For under twenty million dollars, we could fly 200 teachers a year, four from every state in the union. Imagine thousands of astronaut teachers in schools all across the country, within the next decade. For decades, we've told students that if they studied math and science, they could grow up to become astronauts and go into space, but in reality, kids had a better chance of growing up to become NBA basketball players. What message does that send? Suppose we could turn that around, and show kids that they have a realistic chance of going into space? How cool would that be?"

Malheureusement, la recherche de sponsors n'aboutit pas, et fautes de crédits, le programme a été abandonné...

Reste pour Pamela Leetsma (cousine de l'astronaute David Leetsma), une formidable aventure que ce premier et unique vol du programme. 

Effectué à bord d'un Mig-21UM depuis la l'aéroport de Reno (Californie) avec Bob Ray comme pilote, cela a été tout sauf un vol de ''plaisance'' - Le rôle de l'institurice étant le guidage et la surveillance des instruments de bord...

Ce premier vol devait être suivi de beaucoup d'autres en MIG-21UM en attendant la flotte de vaisseaux suborbitaux.

Entretien réalisé en août 2005 (que j'ai traduis en français) - alors que le programme était toujours d'actualité.

Racontez nous un peu cette incroyable aventure et ce programme

Mon vol a duré un peu plus de 50 minutes...

Nous sommes montés à plus de 6 000 mètres d'altitude en quelques minutes. Nous n'avons pas dépassé cette altitude car il fallait aussi que le pilote s'entraine à certaines évolutions pour les futurs autres vols. 

C'était incroyable, et amusant, de voir le tableau de bord du cockpit et tous les instruments de bord avec des indications en russe. Au décollage, vous ressentez vraiment une énorme poussée dans le dos. Beaucoup de puissance. 

Juste parès le décollage, nous avons filé à notre altitude de travail (6 000 mètres) en flèche. Incroyable cette sensation de poussée, qui vous pousse vers le haut. La traversée des quelques nuages à la verticale, est assez étonnante... 

Lors de cette montée, nous avons pris 4g et cela je l'ai très bien ressenti... Nous avons frôlé le Mach 1, que nous n'avons pas pu franchir car nous étions dans un espace aérien civil et non militaire (ce sera pour les autres vols). 

Nous aurions pu le faire aussi si nous avions été au-dessus de l'océan, mais comme c'était le premier vol du programme, nous ne l'avons pas fait. 

La vue était superbe... J'ai appris à décrire les différentes évolutions et les sensations qui allaient avec comme la montée verticale, le piquée, le tonneau, la barrique, le virage serré, etc... cela nous permettra de mieux partager ces aspects avec nos élèves... 

Malheureusement, tout à une fin, et je suis rentrée un peu triste car j'aurai voulu en profiter encore... Vivement les prochains vols. Et qui sait, vous aussi, vous aurez peut-être la chance de voyager dans l'espace.

Crédit : Collection Stéphane Sebile / Spacemen1969

             Space QUotes - Souvenirs d'espace

Interview avec Franklin Chang-Diaz, astronaute de la NASA qui a effectué 7 vols en navette spatiale lors de STS-61C, 34, 46, 60, 75, 91 et 111

Franklin Chang-Diaz, physicien, est un astronaute de la NASA en 1980 dans le Groupe 9.

Il effectue 7 vols à bord de la Navette Spatiale (STS-61C, 34, 46, 60, 75, 91 et 111).

Il est un des 2 hommes qui a effectué le plus de vols dans l'espace (avec Jerry Ross).

Il quitte la NASA en 2005. Il dirige actuellement Ad Astra Rocket Company. Il est l'inventeur du moteur à plasma VASIMR.

Interview réalisée en janvier 2010 où Franklin R. Chang-Diaz nous parle de sa première mission STS-61C en janvier 1986.

How many years were you connected to the space program prior to your 1st flight ?

Six years

How did you feel prior to the flight ?

A : Much anticipation and excitement

What kinds of sensations did you experienced during take-off ?

The vehicle vibrates much in the early phases of flight and then it becomes smooth as it climbs out of the atmosphere and accelerates.

The g forces are steady and cause a great deal of discomfort but they are manageable.

What does weightlessness feel like, and what did you think about during the flight ?

A great sense of freedom. It is similar to scuba diving without the friction of the water.

What were some of the problems you encountered and how did you fixed them ?

All the problems are dealt with by procedures we practice over and over during our long training. There is very little that is not foreseen.

The ground control team helps a great deal. We had hardware problems in most of my missions but they were dealt with and mostly overcome with patience and team work.

What did you eat, and did it taste real ?

The food is ok, not the best, but it is gradually getting better as more people from different countries fly and bring new flavors and styles on board. Eventually it will be out of this world.

What was re-entry like ?

Weight returns gradually and the feeling of it is amplified by the long exposure to weightlessness.

The sense of speed is more pronounced as we descend closer to the ground.

We have to ingest large amounts of fluids to rehydrate our bodies so they can withstand the 1-g environment once again.

Were you glad to be back on Earth, or did you feel you could have spent the rest of your life up there ?

I was glad to be back with my family but I could spend the rest of my life up there (if I could have them with me).

Interview avec Ken Neiss, Flight Controller de la NASA

Ken Neiss est Flight Controller à la NASA. Agé de 30 ans, il est CATO (Communications And Tracking Officer) pour la Station Spatiale Internationale... Ken nous parle ici de son métier, de son travail.

Interview réalisée en 2010.

Q : How many years were you connected to the space program prior to select as Flight Controller and why have you choose this job ?

A : This has been my first job with the space program. I had been visiting the NASA career fait booths at my University each year in hopes to get an interview and get a job offer (4 or so years), but nothing had come of it. I guess 3rd grade when my entire class became part of Youth Astronauts program and got little cards laminated stating that.

I chose this job because it's exciting, inherently motivating, and is not the run-of-the-mill 9-to-6 job that I knew I would not like.

My tasks change day to day and week to week. New things come up, it never gets old, and it's flat out fun.

I had other job offers when I graduated from University, but I knew right away that once I got this offer, that I wanted it.

Q : How did you have trained as Flight Controller ?

A : The training program for a flight controller is fairly rigourous.

When I hired into the Communications And Tracking Officer Group (CATO) for the International Space Station, I started reading training manuals almost 8 hours a day.

We then got grouped with other new flight controllers for both the Space station and the Space Shuttle for 1 month of high level classes on all the different systems of the program.

When the split up and began our reading and hands on training to become certified to send commands to the Space Station, which the training last about 3 months or so.

After that, I started participating in generic simulations, where an entire flight control team runs a simulator with all the normal tools and displays, and we run test cases and failures and see how you react to certain situations, along with testing and adding to your technical knowledge and your poise/composure.

I was the backroom (support) personnel. Our group has 2 backrooms and 1 frontroom positions. At this point, you also begin to work more with hands-on equipment and tools, getting more familiar with the details and ins and outs of the equipment.

After you are certified in a backroom position, you get to work that position for normal day-to-day operations and work it for when the Shuttle comes and docks for their missions. Once you are certify in all backroom positions (around 2 years from hire date), you get to start simulating in the frontroom where you are the main person responsible for your system.

You get to make all the hard decisions and give direction to the astronauts.

After you pass all those different tests, you are fully certified and can work day-to-day in the frontroom (positions you see on NASA TV). You also can work in the front for shuttle missions, and can be the lead for certain timeframes.

I was the lead for my group the last shuttle mission (STS-129/ULF3), which was about 8 months worth of planning and work.

These days, we are now doing the Operator/Specialist/Instructor (OSI) concept in which we hone our training of nrw hires and guide them through learning multiple positions systems in about 1 year or so. The training is more strutured, and there is more hands on training with mentors.

Q : What is exactly your job as Flight Controller ?

A : I am with the CATO group. We are responsible for the maintening the Communications, links (audio, video, commanding & telemetry, ship-to-ship, and payload data stream).

We plan for the comm aspects of big events such as vehicle dockings, undockings, spacewalks, missions, increments, etc.

We also get to play with the external video cameras and look for great Earth views, and record hurricane video.

We get to work in the famous Mission Control Room. As Flight Controller, we also get to work with and train the astronauts for their time in space. It's fin getting to know them and them getting to know us.

Q : What is your best memory as Flight Controller ?

A : Recording hurricane videos from space and seeing them being fed live to CNN or replayed on network television.

It's a really cool feeling to see that.

I love using the external cameras.

Q : What is your worse memory as Flight Controller ?

A : Being wrong and making mistakes.

Everyone does it and everyone doesn't like it, but mistakes sting. I have had my fair share of mistakes and commands errors, and luckily they have not had any major impact, but it's doesn't help the feeling.

Also, in training though mistakes did lead to crews not having communincations assets for hours at a time, so that is probably the worst memory.

Q : What is your most amazing space dream ?

A : To one day get to space and be able to see in person the views I can only see through our external cameras.

and, to do the ''Superman'' in space.

Interview avec Scott Parazynski, astronaute de la NASA qui a effectué 5 missions en navette spatiale lors de STS-66, 86, 95, 100 et 120

Rencontre avec l'astronaute Scott Parazynski

Scott Parzaynski, médecin de formation, est un astronaute de la NASA sélectionné en 1992 dans le Groupe 14. Il effectue 5 missions à bord de la Navette Spatiale (STS-66, 86, 95, 100 et 120). Il quitte la NASA en 2009. Toujours en 2009, il réalise l'ascension de l'Everest (après un échec en 2008)

Il a son propre site internet : http://www.parazynski.com/

Interview réalisée en 2009

How many years were you connected to the space program before your 1st flight ?

I was very fortunate to wait just 2 years from selection to first flight --- the first year spent as Astronaut Candidate, and then almost immediatly transitioning to STS-66 training (including two of my Class of 1992 crewmates, Joe Tanner and Jean-Francois Clervoy)

How did you feel prior the flight ?

I felt well trained, but somewhat apprehensive beofre my first flight. I wanted to perform well, and there were so many unknows : how would I feet ? Would I have Space Motion Sickness ? You can only simulate so much on Earth --- so the first time in space is a very big life experience.

What kinds of sensations did you experienced during the take-off ?

I was on the flight deck in teh MS1 seat, so I had a great view out the forward AND overhead windows. I remember having a mirror positioned on my knee, and I was therefore able to see the waves crashing on the beach below as Atlantis performed its roll maneuver to a heads-down position --- and then nothing the clouds getting progressively smaller as we rushed to space. Lots of vibration and adrenalin these 8.5 minutes...

What does weightlessness feel like, and what did you think about during the flight ?

Weightlessness is a beautiful sensation, very similar to being submerged on a SCUBA dive with your buoyancy compensator perfectly adjusted, such that you neither float up nor sink down. Pushing off with fingertips allow you to fly like Buzz Lightyear wherever you desire, and the views are more beautiful than any photo can capture. I concentrated on doing the best very job I could, but also thought about home quite a bit : I want to memorize the experience, such that I could share the experience with my family and friends.

What were some of the problems you encountered and how did you fixed them ?

Most of my missions were ''textbook'', thanksfully, although they were complicated operations. The one significant exception was during STS-120, when we had to go out and repair a live solar array. There's some additional information on my website, www.parazynski.com. I'm very proud of how the entire team, Mission Control and our on-orbit crew, handled the very serious challenge before us.

What did you eat, and did it taste real ?

I've always had a great apetite, so the ''camping'' rehydratable food was just fine; We also had a Frenchman aboard, so we had a few treats from France to round out our menu. On my subsequent flights I always had International Partner astronaut with me, so I've had dined on French, Italian, Russian, Japanese, spanish and Canadian specialties in space...

What was Re-entry like ?

Reentry on STS-66 (my first flight) was very eye-opening, as I was on the middeck with Ellen Ochoa and just a wall of lockers in front of us. We had M&M's with us, and would toss them gently upwards and try to guess the g-level we were experiencing. The guys on the flight deck would tell us we were almost always right on... And then slowing down through the speed of sound the whole vibrated like a train running out of control, thanksfully, smoothing out shortly thereafter. We felt really heavy, almost like a 100 years-old man, having to carry our body weight and spacesuit for the first time in 11 days...

Were you glad to be back on Earth, or did you feel you could have spent the rest of your life up there ?

I loved space, and would be thrilled to go back. That said, everything and everyone I love was back on Earth --- So I could'nt have stayed up there forever. I was anxious to get back home and share the experience with others !

Crédit : Collection Stéphane Sebile / Spacemen1969

             Space Quotes - Souvenirs d'espace

Interview avec Duane ''Digger'' Carey, astronaute et pilote de la navette spatiale lors de la mission STS-109

Duane ''Digger'' Carey est un astronaute de la NASA sélectionné en 1996 dans le Groupe 16. 

Ancien pilote d'essai de l'US Air Force, il est le pilote de la navette spatiale lors de la mission STS-109, mission de maintenance du télescope spatial Hubble. 

Il quitte la NASA en 2004. 

Actuellement, il est consultant. Véritable amoureux de la moto, il a fait le tour des USA et envisage de faire le tour du monde à moto.

Il a son propre site internet : http://www.astronautbiker.com/

Interview réalisée en 2009

How many years were you connected to the space program prior to your flight ?

You can find my bio at http://www.astronautbiker.com/. I was selected by NASA in 1996 and I flew my mission in Space (STS-109) in March of 2002.

How did you feel prior to the flight ?

Excited and a bit scared. 

I was not nervous, however. We had trained so hard that I had a great confidence in my crew and myself.

I was ready to go...there was no stopping us !

What kinds of sensations did you experienced during take-off ?

As the Pilot, I was busy during the lift-off. I did, however, indulge in a small, selfish though about 20 seconds before main engine ignition : ''Man, I hope everything works''. 

The initial movement at liftoff was quiete gentle. That ended in a few seconds, however, when the big solids started to vibrate and blur my vision a bit. It was not real noisy in cockpit... I could hear a fair amount of wind noise about 100 knots or so either side of the mach.

What does weightlessness feel like, and what did you thing about during the flight ?

The whole weightless thing was a bit unpleasant for me at first. 

On our third day in Space, it got very pleasant... very relaxing. 

As far as what I thought about, I was very busy supporting our mission and that process dominated my thoughts during the entire flight.

What were some of the problems you encountered and how did you fixed them ?

Our spacehip had a potentially serious problem that we noticed shortly after attaining orbit. The cooling system was compromised. However, our team on the ground worked overtime and determinated that we could complete our mission safely. 

Other than that, I encountered no real problems during the conduct of my duties.

(Lors du décollage, la fuite a littéralement ''embrasé'' les nuages)

(Hubble vue depuis la navette spatiale lors de la mission STS-109)

What did you eat, and did it taste real ?

I ate the typical space food. 

It taste fine, but I did not eat much of my food. I was so busy that I could not find the time to eat properly. I lost a few pounds during the mission.

What was Re-entry like ?

Scary and fun... 

Scary because I could see the plasma cloud outside the windows. Fun because the experience was somewhat akin to flying a regular airplane... except we were much higher and faster that I've never been in a conventional airplane.

(Duane Carey caresse le nez de Columbia après l'atterrissage)

Were you glad to be back Earth, or did you feel you could have spent the rest of your life up there ?

I was happy to be back on Eath. 

Another astronaut once said that only 10% of all people would be happy living of the surface of the Earth. 

When I was younger, I'd have gladly signed on the living on Mars, for instance, for the rest of my life. I'm older now, and when I was in Space, I missed the Earth. 

I'd love to go to back to space for 2-3 weeks holidays, however, if I could ride motorcycles on another planet, however, I might change my mind about living there for the rest of my life !

(vue depuis le cockpit de Columbia)

(Tableau acrylique sur toile de Pierre-Marie Valat)

Crédit : Collection Stéphane Sebile / Spacemen1969

            Space Quotes - Souvenirs d'espace
            NASA

Interview avec Charles Camarda, astronaute de la NASA, astronaute de la mission STS-114

Charles Camarda est un astronaute de la NASA sélectionné en 1996 dans le groupe 16. Docteur en Ingénierie Aérospatiale, il vole sur la mission STS-114 qui marque le retour en vol des navettes spatiales après l'accident de Columbia.

Il est actuellement responsable du NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC).

Interview réalisée en 2009

Q : How many years were you connected to the space program before your flight ?

A : I have been connected with the space flight program over 22 years prior to my selection as astronaut. I began working for NASA's Langley research Center in 1974.

Q : How did you feel prior to the flight ?

A : I was very relaxated prior to launch because I felt I was very well prepared thanks to the multitude of the great trainers and support personnel and the hundreds of hour of simulations for our mission.

Q : What kinds of sensations did you experienced during take-off ?

A : It was pure excitement and exhilaration ! I think I was laughing and trying to jump out of my seat for the entire 8 minutes (of course I was on the middeck during launch and so my job was to sit back and enjoy)

Q : What does weightlessness feel like, and what did you think about during the flight ?

A : Weightlessness for extanded periods of time is a fun experience. Within hours to days it becomes second nature and tasks which seems difficult at first, quickly become routine. Since we were the first mission to space after Columbia accident, we had a very pack schedule of work, as is the case for the most shuttle missions. During the first several days my mind was totally on my job and my family. In the evenings we had some quiet time to gaze out windows and reflect. These were the times I felt very blessed to have a wonderful family, friends and colleagues helped me achieve my dream. It was a spiritual time.

Q : What were some of the problems you encountered and how did you fixed them ?

A : 1) Immediatly after liftoff our vehicule struck a very large buzzard, a flock of which was circling overhead prior to liftoff. We were very lucky it did not strike the Orbiter because it could have very easily caused critical damage.

2) Prior to docking the crew onboard the ISS photographed was turned out to be two gapfillers protruding from the forward section of the undersurface of the vehicule. Thanks to the experts researchers at the NASA Ames and NASA LaRC who conducted computational fluid dynamic analyses and predicted these protuding gapfillers could cause overheating of the wing leading edges during entry, the ground team at NASA orchestrated a spacewalk which we put in work to remove both gap fillers.

Q : What did you eat, and did it taste real ?

A : I ate very well in space, in fact, I thing I gained Weight ! Crewmate Soichi Noguchi had some great japanese food wich he shared with the crew. The curried chicken was out of the world (literatally and figuratively)

Q : What was Re-entry like ?

A : Earth entry was a little more stressful this flight, especially for our families, since the Columbia tragedy occured during entry due to debris damage from ET foam during launch. The 15 minutes during high heating during the entry trajectory were especially intense.

Q : Were you glad to be back Earth, or did you feel you could have spent the rest of your life up there ?

A : I was very glad to be back to thank the thousands of people on the ground who supported our mission and ensured our safety and sussess and to see my family who I knew were especially concerned and awaiting our safe return.

Interview avec Bryan O'Connor, astronaute et Pilote / Commandant de la navette spatiale lors des missions STS-61B et STS-40

Bryan O'Connor est un astronaute de la NASA sélectionné en 1980 dans le groupe 9. Ancien pilote d'essai de l'US Marine Corps, il a effectué 2 missions spatiales. STS-61B en tant que pilote et STS-40 en tant que Commandant. Il quitte le corps actif en 1991. Actuellement, administrateur-Adjoint de la NASA.

Interview réalisée en 2009

How many years were you connected to the space program prior your first flight ?

5 years.

How did you feel prior to the flight ?

I felt confident about my training. But since it was my first flight, I was little nervous about the unknows.

What kinds of sensations did you experienced during the take-off ?

Lots of noise and vibrations during the first minute, then very smooth although the ''g'' forces slowly incrased to ''3g'' making me feel heavy.

What does weightlessness feel like, and what did you think about during the flight ?

Weightlessness is a wonderful experience. It is pleasant to be free of gravity's pull.

What were some of the problems you encountered and how did you fix them ?

We had very few problems on the flight.

One that was interesting was a torn payload bay door seal. For several hours, while Mission Control Houston analysed the problem, we thought we might have to do a spacewalk to repair the seal. In the end, we entered with the seal torn and there was no problem.

What did you eat, and did it taste real ?

We ate pretty normal food which we had rehydrated. It taste good but I used some hot sauce to improve it.

The coffee was not very good, so I didn't drink it, and I got a ''caffeine headache''.

What was Re-entry like ?

Entry was not nearly as exciting as ascent.

It was a long slow, smooth flight, with the ''g'' forces lower than launch.

As we turned on final approach, thow, we saw a cloud in the way, and we could not see the runaway until passing 6000 feet.

That was interesting but no problem... the instruments very accurate, and when we came out of the cloud, wwe were right where we were supposed to be.

Were you glad to back on earth, or did you feel you could have spent the rest of your life up there ?

I was glad to be home. We accomplished our mission, so I was ready to come back.

Rencontre avec Scott Crossfield, légendaire pilote d'essai américain qui a volé sur la plupart des avions expérimentaux des années 40-60

Scott Crossfield est un pilote d'essai américain. Il rejoint le NACA (ancêtre de la NASA) en 1950 avec lequel il pilotera le X-1, X-4, X-5, XF-92A, le D-558-I et D-558-II. Il totalisera 87 vols en propulsion-fusée avec le X-1 et D-558-II.

Il entre dans l'histoire aéronautique en devenant le premier homme à Mach 2 le 20 novembre 1953 avec le D-558-II.

Il quitte le NACA en 1955 pour rejoindre North American Aviation qui venait de gagner le contrat de construction du X-15. Il sera le chef-pilote d'essai du début du programme X-15 pour North American Aviation.

Il effectue le 1er vol du X-15 en 1959...Il volera sur 2 des 3 prototypes du X-15 (14 vols et 16 vols captifs).

En 1960, il publie son autobiographie "Always Another Down. The Story of a Rocket Test Pilot" (qui deviendra une version abrégée intitulée X-15 en France chez France-Empire).

Il travaille encore chez North American sur le Programme Apollo puis rejoindra Eastern Airlines en 1967. Il prend sa retraite en 1977 et devient consultant.

Il meurt accidentellement dans le crash de son avion personnel en avril 2006 à l'âge de 84 ans.

Souvenirs de sa carrière recueillis aux USA en 2003.

Quand et comment vous êtes passionné pour l'aviation et avez-vous décidé de devenir pilote ?

J'ai commencé à voler vers 12 ans. Je passais tous mes temps libres à l'aérodrome du coin. Je faisais toutes sortes de petits boulots et la récompense était de voler.

Mais je ne voulais pas que piloter, je voulais aussi comprendre pourquoi et comment un avion volait. 

Je décide de passer un diplôme d'ingénieur à l'Université. La guerre arrive et je rejoint la Navy. Je deviens intructeur de vol (sur Corsair notamment).

Après la guerre, je fais partie de la Patrouille Acrobatique de la Navy sur Corsair. Puis reprends mes études d'ingénieur. Je rejoins finalement le NACA.

Durant votre carrière de pilote au NACA, qu'est-ce qui vous a le plus ''amusé'' à piloter ?

(rires). J'ai vraiment aimé piloter tous ces avions mais ce qui m'a le plus amusé et qui est le plus inoubliable, c'est les journées chargées qui faisaient que je pilotais plusieurs avions totalement différents dans la journée... 

Le planning était serré et il y avait des retard. Et pour les combler, je devais piloter, par exemple, un X-1 de bonne heure le matin, puis un X-4 à l'heure du déjeuner et terminer la journée par un vol en D-558-II. Ce type de journée était fatiguante pour moi, stressante et harassante pour l'équipe au sol, mais réellement excitante...

Comment arriviez-vous à gérer mentalement le passage de l'un à l'autre ? Le X-1 et le D-558-II ne se pilotent pas tout à fait pareil...

C'est vrai que les caractéristiques de vol de ces 2 avions ne sont pas identiques, mais c'étaient de bons avions quand même... Pas parfait mais cela facilitait les choses. On est concentré sur le pilotage donc on a pas le temps de penser à autre chose.

Qu'avez-vous ressenti après avoir franchi Mach 2 pour la première fois avec le D-558-II ?

Je laisse mes émotions au sol quand je vole.

La concentration sur le pilotage est très importante. C'est cela qui nous aide à nous sortir de situations périlleuses...

J'ai eu pas mal de soucis en vol avec les avions expérimentaux, et seule la concentration du pilotage m'a aidée, et un peu de chance aussi (Rires...). Mais arrivé au sol, j'étais content... Non pas d'être le premier homme à Mach 2, mais content pour le programme et toutes les personnes qui travaillaient dessus. C'est l'aboutissement de nombreuses années de travail...

Que pouvez-vous me dire sur le x-15 et sur le pilote de X-15 que vous avez été ?

Le X-15 était un avion formidable... Superbe, très beau... mais comme toutes les stars, capricieux et difficile (Rires...).

J'ai rejoins North American Aviation uniquement pour le piloter, être le premier... Imaginez que l'on parlait d'un réacteur de 75 000 pounds et qu'on posait un fuselage dessus avec un pilote... 

Quel challenge... Puis surtout, je voulais participer à l'élaboration de l'avion depuis le début. 

En 1955, ce n'était qu'une ébauche sur un papier... en 1959, il volait... Des années de travail, mais un beau résultat, vous ne trouvez pas (Rires...).

Crédit : Collection Stéphane Sebile / Spacemen1969

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