EC05-0148-31
Project: Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS)
NASA’s two F-15 research aircraft, 836 and 837, flew in tandem during a mission flight. Research pilots Jim Smolka and Craig Bomben from NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center put the highly modified aircraft through their paces during a mission over the Edwards Air Force Base test range in late July that supported the IFCS project.
The canard-equipped F-15B tail number 837, NASA’s IFCS aircraft, was flying structural mode validation flights at the time, leading to Generation II IFCS flights planned for later in 2005. F-15B tail number 836 was flying safety chase as well as for pilot proficiency in air refueling. Both aircraft performed aerial refueling from an Air Force KC-135 tanker aircraft. At the end of the mission, the two joined up for a formation fly-over of their home at NASA Dryden.July 22, 2005
NASA Photo / Tony Landis
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