Sierra Hotel Blog
Margaret Heafield Hamilton led development of the on-board flight software for the Apollo space program at MIT. Three minutes before Apollo 11 touched down on the Moon, her software’s priority-based asynchronous executive averted a mission abort by managing a computer overload caused by a faulty radar input. Margaret Hamilton saved Apollo 11.
Continue reading
On February 24, 1989, United Airlines Flight 811 suffered a catastrophic cargo door failure at 22,000 feet over the Pacific, tearing a massive hole in the fuselage and ejecting nine passengers into the night. Captain David Cronin safely returned the crippled 747 to Honolulu on two engines, landing at nearly 200 knots. The crew received the Secretary's Award for Heroism.
Continue reading
On December 20, 1962, NASA research pilot Milton O. Thompson ejected inverted at 18,000 feet after his F-104 Starfighter experienced an asymmetric flap condition over Edwards AFB. He descended safely under a good chute, walked to the road, and was found hitchhiking by NASA Flight Operations chief Joe Vensel. Thompson went on to fly the M2-F1 lifting body 47 times, pilot the X-15 to Mach 5.48, and eventually become NASA Chief Engineer.
Continue reading
On October 3, 1967, test pilot Pete Knight flew the X-15A-2 to Mach 6.72 — 4,520 mph — setting a world absolute speed record for manned aircraft that still stands today. Knight also earned his Astronaut Wings and a Distinguished Flying Cross for airmanship under total electrical failure at 107,000 feet. He flew 253 combat missions in Vietnam before retiring as a Colonel with over 6,000 flight hours in more than 100 aircraft types.
Continue reading
On October 30, 1963, Lt. James Flatley landed a 121,000-pound four-engine KC-130F Hercules on the deck of USS Forrestal — with no tailhook and no catapult. He completed 29 touch-and-go landings, 21 full-stop landings, and 21 unassisted takeoffs. The Navy deemed it too risky for regular use, but Flatley earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for what remains one of the most audacious carrier landings ever attempted.
Continue reading
