NASA's Dryden Flight
Research Center will once again participate in the Edwards Air
Force Base Open House and Air Show Oct. 28-29, with one of its
high-altitude ER-2 Earth science aircraft flying and several other
NASA aircraft on static display.
The Lockheed-built ER-2, a civil version of the U-2S military
reconnaissance aircraft, is flown by NASA in Earth resources
research and satellite sensor validation.
Several of NASA Dryden's research and mission support aircraft
will also be on display, either along the flight line or in the
NASA exhibit area within Hangar 1600. These include a highly
modified McDonnell Douglas NF-15B best known for its role in the
Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles project and
currently the testbed for Intelligent Flight Controls research, and
another modified F-15B currently being flown in the Gulfstream
Quiet Spike sonic boom suppression research. Other NASA aircraft on
exhibit are expected to include Boeing's X-48B subscale Blended
Wing-Body technology demonstrator, a modified Boeing B-52H air
launch aircraft, a modified General Dynamics F-16XL prototype,
NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and Beechcraft
T-34 and McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 mission support aircraft.
Static displays and exhibits in NASA's area in Hangar 1600 will
highlight the cutting-edge flight research and technology
development that occurs at NASA Dryden. A new display this year, an
inflatable Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle exhibit, will showcase
NASA's Constellation program to resume human exploration of the
solar system. Visitors will also be able to "fly" a
high-performance jet from a flight simulator cockpit, and have
their photo taken within a virtual space suit helmet. In addition,
the Lancaster High School robotics team that is supported in part
by NASA Dryden will demonstrate its robot that is entered in the
annual high school robotics competition on Oct. 28, with other
schools possibly demonstrating their robots the following day.
Focused on the theme "The Edwards Edge -- Making History,
Reaching New Heights," the 2006 Edwards AFB Open House and Air Show
will highlight Edwards' contributions to the U.S. Air Force and the
nation, showcasing the aircraft systems and capabilities of the Air
Force Flight Test Center, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, the
Air Force Research Laboratory Propulsion Directorate, Marine
Aircraft Group 46, and other local and visiting units.
Flight highlights include the famed U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
flight demonstration team, the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute
team, a precision formation flight demonstration from the Royal
Dutch Air Force, and a variety of other military and civilian
flight demonstrations.