10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and
John says he “Survived a double engine failure at 700′ agl on takeoff in an Aerocommander and walked away from the wreck unhurt…”
He has been a “pilot, Flight Commander, Executive Officer, Flight Examiner, ADO, DO, TFG CC, TFW CV, 737 Captain for Southwest Airlines, an Air Attack Pilot for the US Forest Service, and a Check Airman and Instructor for American East Airways, DBA Houston Air.
He is also an instructor in Alpha Jet, Mig-15/17, T-33, L-39 and a partridge in a pear tree. Just cannot grow up. Own a really hot plane…a 1946 Piper Cruiser.–i fly it at 65 mph and enjoy the view….”
