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This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

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

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Ranaudo, Richard J.

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  • Ranaudo, Richard J.

Richard J. Ranaudo

Preferred Name: Rich
Date of Birth: January 29, 1944
Highest Military Grade: Select
Biography
Pilot Information
Album
Video

Rich Ranaudo served with the OHANG from 1973-1979. Additionally, he was a NASA test pilot, a Bombardier Aerospace Senior Experimental Test Pilot, an Aeronautical Engineer, a Human Factors Engineer, the Head of Flight Test Operation at NASA, and Bombardier. Rich is also a writer, author, and college professor at NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland; Applied Science Group.

He has extensive operational and flight test experience in military, government, and civil aviation. Throughout his career has flown over 35 different aircraft types logging more than 12,000 hours primarily as Pilot-in-Command. He began his aviation career as an active duty USAF F-4 fighter pilot in Vietnam and later served as a T-38 advanced jet instructor pilot. Following active duty, Mr. Ranaudo became a NASA research pilot, and in that capacity, he performed a variety of aero-propulsion, aircraft performance, flying qualities, aircraft icing, and microgravity flight research programs.

During that time he also served concurrently with the Ohio and Texas Air National Guard, flying the F-100, F-101, and A-7D aircraft as an operational fighter pilot. Mr. Ranaudo has an FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license and several type ratings in large jet, turbo-propeller, and reciprocating engine transport aircraft. (1)

(1) Source: Staff Profiles In-Flight Simulation

 

Units Assigned

  • 1973-1979 112th Tactical Fighter Squadron/180th Tactical Fighter Group, OHANG, Toledo, OH (F-100)

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

T-38
F-100
F 101
F-4
A-7D

Military & Civilian Education

Civilian Education:

  • BS/Civil Engineering, University of Connecticut
  • MS/Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Ohio State University

Ranaudo, Rich
Album Slideshow
Slideshow
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Wall of Honor Location

Video of Rich Ranaudo in a Twin Otter Tail Stall with Icing

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