NASA's X-59 Completes First Wheels-Up Flight
3 hours ago
- #aviation technology
- #NASA
- #supersonic flight
- NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic jet achieved a milestone by flying wheels-up for the first time on April 3, marking a key step in its testing.
- The aircraft, piloted by NASA test pilot Jim 'Clue' Less, flew for 90 minutes, reaching 20,000 feet altitude and a top speed of about 460 mph from Edwards, California.
- Flying with landing gear up allows examination of the X-59's streamlined profile, crucial for achieving faster-than-sound flight with reduced noise.
- The X-59 has completed eight flights as of April 10 as part of its test envelope expansion campaign.
- The X-59 is central to NASA's Quesst mission, which aims to enable quiet commercial supersonic flight over land through community noise surveys and regulatory changes.