The X-59

This is a pretty cool interview with a NASA test pilot for the upcoming “quiet” supersonic X-59. The plane won’t have a forward windscreen, so Lockheed Martin is developing a cockpit video display system instead. Reminds me of The Spirit of St. Louis. They’re also planning on some pretty fast approach speeds; the pilot estimates around 160 knots.

Interesting stuff! Should be neat to see this fly in the next few years.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a22714456/x-59-supersonic-test-pilot-jim-less/?src=socialflowFBRAT

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They can always train in NASA's F-104's, whose landing speed was 160+kts.

 

Right on, and those look like fancy lawn darts, just like this plane does. Definitely built-for-speed profiles.

 

After the X-31, there was a very long gap before the next X-number was assigned; X-32 was the Boeing JSF prototype. Since then they've been handing out X-numbers like candy!

 

We used to practice heavyweight no flap landings right after takeoff in the T-38 and final was 170 KIAS + 1 knot per 100# of fuel over 1000#, so often 185 KIAS or so...no sweat for these TPs...