posted 09-13-2007 02:55 PM               

I attended the last SETP event where NA spoke and it was great. I sat between the chief test pilot for the F-35 and a gentleman who was an Apollo project manager. I also got to meet Gordon Fullerton, Fitz Fulton, Bill Dana, Stan Butchart and other test pilots from the golden age.

NA was VERY gracious in shaking hands, taking photos and speaking with 200-250 people. The crowd was a 50-50 mix of military & civilian, with about 30-40 kids and everyone was well behaved.

After watching NA at that event and at the dinner, I wouldn't want to change places with him and I don't envy all of the grief he has to put up with on a daily basis.

posted 09-23-2007 08:12 PM               

I got shut out meeting Neil two years ago at SETP when I had to go to Miami on business.

Neil is the only living moonwalker I have not met. At least I will try and make it up to Lovell's while I am in the Chicago area next weekend.

You guys have fun. Those test pilots events rock. I know Ray and I had a lot of fun in Lancaster talking to Stan Buchart a few years back.

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Kind Regards

Douglas Henry

posted 09-23-2007 11:36 PM               

I'm sorry you're going to miss this event and I'll make sure to get an NA autograph for you. When he politely refuses to sign for me, I'll yell at him "Wadda ya mean you don't sign? You can't treat Doug Henry like this and I demand an autograph!" LOL. The next time you try to attend an NA event and they hear your name, you'll be escorted off the property.

posted 09-24-2007 12:48 AM               

So there we are... Ray, Stan Butchart and I. Stan is reliving flying a torpedo bomber straight at a Japanese aircraft carrier during WWII. All the guns in the fleet are lit up shooting at Stan... Ray is really getting into this story that Stan is sharing... I mentally step back looking at the three of us and wonder which guy here is more nuts! Just kidding.

Stan was grinning ear to ear telling his story. Ray you were so animated and awesome in bringing that story out of Stan the way you did.

For the record, Stan put a torpedo in the last surviving aircraft carrier that bombed Pearl Harbor. Stan also flew in the same torpedo squadron as George Bush. Stan was also a noted test pilot flying in programs such as the D-558-1 and -2. Stan has many more stories. That is the magic of these test pilots. The stories are just so rich and plentiful!

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Kind Regards

Douglas Henry

posted 09-29-2007 04:51 PM               

Armstrong stated that NASA would return to the Moon by 2018 and that he believed the LLTV experience would help future astronauts with that effort. The simulation aircraft was the "best training" according to him.

Armstrong discussed in great detail the design and engineering of the vehicles. He showed several video clips of the strange aircraft flying.

Armstrong recalled that "A rocket the size of the Empire State Bulding would have been needed" if the ideas of lunar orbit rendezvous and the small spacecraft designs were not implemented.

The earlier versions of the lunar lander were assessed to have problems. The final lunar module design would not require the enormous (Nova) rocket, and it would eliminate the need for a fleet of rockets and assembly in lunar orbit. Overall, less time and less cost would be spent on the project.

Armstrong was cordial and greeted the symposium attendees one at a time as they lined up to shake his hand.

posted 09-29-2007 06:29 PM               

This is the 2nd time I've attended this event, I'm so blown away by the quality of people who attend and it gives me hope for the future of this country.

The program consisted of 7 topics on different aircraft, with most of them being about programs from the 1940's - 1970's. The topics presented were:

Prototyping a Lunar Lander: The LLRV and LLTV Projects
Neil Armstrong (F)

Crossing the Boundary: The DeHavilland DH-108 Swallow
Eric M. Brown (HF), Capt, RN (Ret)

Competitive Prototyping: The YC-14 and YC-15
Floyd B. Stroup (F)

First of the V Bombers: The AVRO Vulcan
Tony Blackman (F)

Flight Testing the XB-47 Stratojet
Richard W. Taylor (F)

Reverse Prototyping: The Me-262 Sturmvogel
Horst Philipp (M)

A Prototype for Prototypes: The Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA)
G. Warren Hall (F), NASA

The room was packed and my little boy Dylan & I were able to get 2 seats dead center and upfront. Neil Armstrong was first to speak, I videotaped his entire presentation and when I have a chance to download it, I'll make it avail. Neil spoke about the LLRV & LLTV, it was accompanied with film on a large screen and some still photos. As always his speech was great with some personal stories, including punching out of the LLTV. He was given a standing ovation at the end of his presentation.

There were 3 other presenters in rapid succession that spoke about the aircraft they test piloted and everyone of them was outstanding. The British test pilots were incredible, they spoke about their experiences from the battle of Britan and other WW2 combat experiences to some death defying events. The test pilot stories for the Vulcan are enough to curl your hair. Eric Brown who gave the DH-108 presentation has flown 487 different types of aircraft since the 1930's and these types of men are no more and they will never be again. He was shocked that anyone would want his autograph.

During a break, a bunch of us made a beeline towards NA for a handshake, a photo, a lock of hair, some DNA and an autograph. I was able to get NA to sign 2 items for me...........NOT !!!! (that one's for Doug). At this point, I don't care about getting his autograph because it's a great time just seeing him again and I just wanted to have my son take a picture with NA.

As always NA was extremely gracious, even when he refused to sign an autograph for a 12 year old boy, but he shook his hand, took a photo with him, then called security to have the kid thrown out of the event. LOL.

I brought along a 1968 Stetson cowboy hat that NA signed, along with Conrad, Slayton & Cooper, that was given by LBJ to Texas legislator Criss Cole for his support of the space program. I asked NA if he remembered signing cowboy hats for LBJ or if this was a rare practice, but he didn't remember. I then introduced my son Dylan, they shook hands and a very nice USMC Capt took our photo and I took a photo of his family with NA.

Everyone was very polite, about 15% of the people were civilians, 40% military in uniform and the rest were contractors, so you'd expect the crowd to be well behaved.

NA was as classy as ever, greeting everyone with a handshake, a hello and a kind word, then took photos with anyone who asked. The thing that really impressed me was that NA listened to every word from every presenter. He was sitting in front of me, so it was difficult for me not to see him and he was attentive to everyone. You can tell that he's an engineer at heart and he related to all of the speakers.

Another amazing speaker was Horst Phillip who reverse engineered the ME-262 that is on the internet. The dedication and hard work he put into building this extraordinary aircract is astounding and his speech was excellent.

The greatest thing about this event is the people you unexpectedly run into. We got to meet Bill Dana of X-15 fame, Mike Melville, Dick Rutan, Doug Shane, Fitz Fulton and when I turned around, I ran into Bob Crippen. I've always been a big fan of Crippen since meeting him at Edwards in the late 70's. He's such a great guy, he's as nice as anyone I've ever met and he started chatting away with my Dylan. He happily took a photo with my boy and signed my SETP book from 1977 with lots of older test pilots signatures.

The most interesting guys I got to speak with was Jim Rider & Bob Ettinger who flew U2's and first F-16 flight. Jim Rider was with Bob and was test pilot for the YF-16 & YF_17, plus he also helped develop the F-104N. Jim told me a very detailed story about Chuck Yeagers 104N flight, where the aircraft was destroyed in the famous scene from "The Right Stuff". I won't go into details, but suffice it to say it wasn't flattering to the driver.

The only drawback to attending this event is that I spend all my time looking at everyone's badge to see who they are. I feel bad when I don't recognize these test pilots and it reminds me of that scene in The Right Stuff, where the Texas contractor says to Alan Shepard, "Which one is Glenn, he's the one I want to meet". How could anyone be so callous to a national hero like these guys ???

Everytime I spot a name I know, I say hello and they're surprised that anyone knows of or cares about them. To me these events are a chance to meet some truly brave men, who put their lives on the line to develop the greatest aircraft in the world. Their legacy is a quiet one, but it was and is so vitally important to this country. These guys are not going to be around much longer and never again in history, will men like this walk the earth. It's sad to think that their era is coming to a rapid end.

Sorry for the long post, but I could have gone on for another 5 pages. If you ever have a chance to attend one of these SETP events, don't miss it.

posted 09-29-2007 07:25 PM               

A special thanks to Ray for getting that NA autograph for me too.

2nd time NA was in my backyard lately and work called me to duty... what are the odds?

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Kind Regards

Douglas Henry

posted 09-29-2007 08:26 PM               

I'm sorry you couldn't make it, you would have enjoyed the gathering. As far as the NA autograph I got for you, I'll put it on Ebay so you can pick it up in 7 days.

Scott, I'm always happy to entertain you.

posted 09-30-2007 11:23 AM               

It seems is that NA makes an appearance at this event every other year and if you contact the SETP, they'll let you know ahead of time. NA didn't appear last year, but spoke the year before.

Dennis,

I'm glad you enjoyed the post and I wish I could remember everything that happened, but old age is catching up to me and winning.

posted 10-01-2007 11:08 AM               

Neil Armstrong Shows How to Land on the Moon

quote:

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The problem: land an aerospace vehicle before you take off in it, and do it the first time ever on an unimproved field no human has ever visited. That's what Neil Armstrong faced when he guided Eagle to the moon's surface in July 1969.

Armstrong brought an audience of 700 to the edge of their seats as he recounted his own precarious perch during testing of the lunar landing research vehicle (LLRV) intended to make that lunar landing possible. The Apollo 11 astronaut described the ungainly LLRV at the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) symposium in Anaheim, Calif., September 29.

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