NASA ADMINISTRATOR STATEMENT REGARDING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF AVIATION PIONEER A. SCOTT CROSSFIELD

April 20, 2006

David Mould/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-1400/1600

RELEASE: 06-191

NASA ADMINISTRATOR STATEMENT REGARDING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF AVIATION PIONEER
A. SCOTT CROSSFIELD

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Michael Griffin
on the tragic death of famed test pilot Albert Scott Crossfield.

"Scott Crossfield was a true pioneer whose daring X-15 flights helped
pave the way for the space shuttle. NASA remembers Scott not only as
one of the greatest pilots who ever flew, but as an expert
aeronautical engineer, aerodynamicist, and designer who made
significant contributions to the design and development of the X-15
research aircraft and to systems test, reliability engineering, and
quality assurance for the Apollo command and service modules and
Saturn V second stage. Today, those of us in the aeronautics and
space communities extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to
Scott's family."

Crossfield made aeronautical history in 1953 when he reached a speed
of more than 1,320 mph, or Mach 2, in a Douglas D-558-II Skyrocket.
He played an important role in the agency's highly successful X-15
research aircraft program in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He flew
most of the early experimental X-series research aircraft for NASA's
predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.

In 1993, Crossfield was honored with the NASA Distinguished Public
Service Medal for his contributions to aeronautics research and
development over his historic 50 year career.

For additional information about Crossfield and his contributions to
aeronautics visit,

http://www.nasa.gov/home


-end-


--
--------------

Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.nl

Jacques van Oene wrote:

April 20, 2006

David Mould/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-1400/1600

RELEASE: 06-191

NASA ADMINISTRATOR STATEMENT REGARDING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF AVIATION PIONEER
A. SCOTT CROSSFIELD



Although I'm not posting anymore, I thought you'd like to hear this.
When I was a kid, I had this little book on the X-15 that had a picture
of Scott Crossfield standing next to it wearing his silver pressure suit
and smiling.
A lot of us had heroes that looked up to when we were young. The person
that we wanted to emulate when we grew up, the person that we wanted to
be when we grew up.
Scott Crossfield was my hero when I was a kid.
Over the years I bought and built a lot af models of the X-15 (lord
knows how many- I've still got a 1/72 scale Monogram model with the drop
tanks sitting within ten feet of me as I type this) but when I thought
of the X-15, I always thought of Scott Crossfield and in his silver
pressure suit in relation to it..and though a lot of pilots flew the
X-15 during its test program, when I think about it, I think only of
Scott Crossfield and it together.
This guy was my Flash Gordon; this guy was my Buck Rogers.
I knew nothing whatsoever about what he was like personally- to me he
was like Sir Lancelot standing ready with his sword and lance in hand,
ready for any threat that would arise, no matter where it came from. His
death hits me right in he very depths of soul, as what I was when I was
young just died a bit with his death.
But he died in flight, and if there is any romance left in the world,
then that's exactly how he should have died- not wasting away in some
hospital bed, but falling from the heavens, struck down by a thunderstorm.
My personal hero just died a perfect and blessed death, as it was
fitting and right he should have.
God bless you, Scott Crossfield.
And from one little kid who once saw a picture of you in a book over
forty years ago...may you slip the surly bonds of earth, and dance the
skies on red-hot and laughter-silvered Inconel-X wings.

Pat

How horribly ironic that he survived testing cutting edge aircraft,
only to die in a general aviation aircraft.

Matthew Ota

On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 02:12:41 -0500, Pat Flannery
wrote:



Jacques van Oene wrote:

April 20, 2006

David Mould/Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington
(202) 358-1400/1600

RELEASE: 06-191

NASA ADMINISTRATOR STATEMENT REGARDING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF AVIATION PIONEER
A. SCOTT CROSSFIELD



Although I'm not posting anymore, I thought you'd like to hear this.
When I was a kid, I had this little book on the X-15 that had a picture
of Scott Crossfield standing next to it wearing his silver pressure suit
and smiling.
A lot of us had heroes that looked up to when we were young. The person
that we wanted to emulate when we grew up, the person that we wanted to
be when we grew up.
Scott Crossfield was my hero when I was a kid.

I'm really late in responding to this, but I have to say that Pat
picked a really good hero. Scott Crossfield was a wonderful person.
He was a real gentleman and a great engineer and a pleasure to know
and work with. I really liked and admired him.

I knew nothing whatsoever about what he was like personally

Really great. Sharp, funny, sometimes a bit self-deprecating, a real
gentleman. He was a lot like my father in that last; they were much
of an age.

But he died in flight, and if there is any romance left in the world,
then that's exactly how he should have died- not wasting away in some
hospital bed, but falling from the heavens, struck down by a thunderstorm.
My personal hero just died a perfect and blessed death, as it was
fitting and right he should have.

Yes, indeed. We said the same thing when Marta Bohn-Meyer died. Dying
while doing something you love to do is a good way to go, particularly
if it's quick.

Mary
--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer
We didn't just do weird stuff at Dryden, we wrote reports about it.
or

"Reunite Gondwanaland (Mary Shafer)" wrote in
message ...
On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 02:12:41 -0500, Pat Flannery

I'm really late in responding to this, but I have to say that Pat
picked a really good hero. Scott Crossfield was a wonderful person.
He was a real gentleman and a great engineer and a pleasure to know
and work with. I really liked and admired him.

I knew nothing whatsoever about what he was like personally

Really great. Sharp, funny, sometimes a bit self-deprecating, a real
gentleman. He was a lot like my father in that last; they were much
of an age.

He's interviewed on the Discovery Channel (Canada) series "Rocket Science,
and the DVD has an extended interview which is quite good. (There are a
number of good interviews with Kraft, Kranz, Lovell, Schirra, Bean, and
others.)

"Ami Silberman" ) writes:
"Reunite Gondwanaland (Mary Shafer)" wrote in
message ...
On Fri, 21 Apr 2006 02:12:41 -0500, Pat Flannery

I'm really late in responding to this, but I have to say that Pat
picked a really good hero. Scott Crossfield was a wonderful person.
He was a real gentleman and a great engineer and a pleasure to know
and work with. I really liked and admired him.

I knew nothing whatsoever about what he was like personally

Really great. Sharp, funny, sometimes a bit self-deprecating, a real
gentleman. He was a lot like my father in that last; they were much
of an age.

He's interviewed on the Discovery Channel (Canada) series "Rocket Science,
and the DVD has an extended interview which is quite good. (There are a
number of good interviews with Kraft, Kranz, Lovell, Schirra, Bean, and
others.)

A wonderful documentary series, and the DVD is well, well worth it,
especially as they sold it to me at Ad Astra for $20 Cdn, no tax.
:-)

3 discs, too.

Andre