Thread: Bill Dana
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Old May 8th 14, 05:29 PM posted to sci.space.history
David Lesher
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Default Bill Dana

http://www.kvoa.com/news/legendary-test-pilot-bill-dana-dies-in-arizona/

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Famed research test pilot Bill Dana, who flew
the X-15 rocket plane and other pioneering aircraft during the
birth of the space age, has died at age 83.

.....

Starting in the 1950s, Dana logged more than 8,000 hours in
more than 60 types of aircraft, ranging from helicopters and
sailplanes to the hypersonic X-15, which he flew to a maximum
altitude of nearly 59 miles, reaching a top speed of 3,897 mph.

In 2005, he was awarded civilian astronaut wings for two of
those flights to the edge of space - nearly 40 years after
his X-15 flights - because at the time, NASA did not confer
astronaut wings on its pilots.

Dana also flew NASA's so-called lifting body aircraft that led
to the design of the space shuttle.

......


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