| astronautix.com | Dana |
Born in Pasadena, California; married with four children. Received BS, US Military Academy, 1952. Served in USAF, but left to study aeronautical engineering. Obtained MS from University of Southern California in 1958. Joined NACA in 1958 as a test pilot. Selected in 1965 as X-15 test pilot. He made 16 X-15 flights, received astronaut wings for a 93.3 km altitude flight. He continued as a test pilot with NASA until his retirement.
William H. Dana was Chief Engineer at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., from 1993 until 1998, when he retired after almost 40 years of distinguished service to NASA. Formerly an aerospace research pilot, Dana flew the F-100 variable stability research aircraft and the Advanced Fighter Technology Integration/F-16 aircraft as well as many others.
Before his assignment as Chief Engineer, he was Assistant Chief of the Flight Operations Division, a position he assumed after serving since 1986 as Chief Pilot. He was also a project pilot on the F-15 HIDEC (Highly Integrated Digital Electronic Control) research program, and a co-project pilot on the F-18 High Angle of Attack research program.
Dana, born in Pasadena, Calif., Nov. 3, 1930, received his Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy in 1952 and served four years as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He joined NASA after receiving a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1958.
As a research pilot, Dana was involved in some of the most significant aeronautical programs carried out at Dryden. For his distinguished service as a premier flight research pilot, he received NASA's Distinguished Service Medal in 1997.
He was a project pilot on the hypersonic X-15 research aircraft and flew the rocket-powered vehicle 16 times, reaching a top speed of 3,897 mph and a peak altitude of 307,000 feet (nearly 59 miles high). He was the pilot on the final (199th) flight of the 10-year program.
In the late 1960s and in the 1970s, Dana was a project pilot on the manned lifting body program, which flew several versions of the wingless vehicles and produced data that helped in development of the Space Shuttles. For his contributions to the lifting body program, Dana received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. In 1976 he received the Haley Space Flight Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics for his research work on the M2-F3 lifting body control systems.
A member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Dana is the author of several technical papers.
August 1999
Maximum Speed - 4450 kph. Maximum Altitude - 24440 m.
Maximum Speed - 5176 kph. Maximum Altitude - 29290 m. First flight with X-20 energy management system.
Maximum Speed - 6376 kph. Maximum Altitude - 40450 m.
Maximum Speed - 5804 kph. Maximum Altitude - 54250 m.
Maximum Speed - 5770 kph. Maximum Altitude - 22980 m. JPL spectrometer measured solar flux; radiometer characterized exhaust plume in UV for reconnsat sensors; collected micrometeorites.
Maximum Speed - 6034 kph. Maximum Altitude - 93540 m. Astronaut wings flight (USAF definition).
Maximum Speed - 1871 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16280 m.
Maximum Speed - 5112 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21670 m.
Maximum Speed - 5810 kph. Maximum Altitude - 25050 m.
Maximum Speed - 5942 kph. Maximum Altitude - 25720 m.
Maximum Speed - 7270 kph. Maximum Altitude - 76530 m.
Maximum Speed - 4631 kph. Maximum Altitude - 31850 m. Tested Saturn V insulation.
Maximum Speed - 5808 kph. Maximum Altitude - 57150 m.
Maximum Speed - 5733 kph. Maximum Altitude - 67090 m.
Maximum Speed - 5540 kph. Maximum Altitude - 81530 m. Astronaut wings flight (USAF definition).
Last flight. Maximum Speed - 5979 kph. Maximum Altitude - 77720 m.
Glide. Maximum Speed - 743 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13720 m. Flight Time - 252 sec.
Maximum Speed - 959 kph. Maximum Altitude - 14970 m. Flight Time - 414 sec.
2 chambers. Maximum Speed - 1350 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19450 m. Flight Time - 373 sec.
4 chambers. Maximum Speed - 1541 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23760 m. Flight Time - 414 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1675 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18470 m. Flight Time - 417 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1693 kph. Maximum Altitude - 19690 m. Flight Time - 408 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1401 kph. Maximum Altitude - 24370 m. Flight Time - 428 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1443 kph. Maximum Altitude - 26730 m. Flight Time - 411 sec.
Maximum altitude. Maximum Speed - 1400 kph. Maximum Altitude - 27524 m. Flight Time - 416 sec.
First M2-F3 flight. Maximum Speed - 755 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13716 m. Flight Time - 218 sec.
Maximum Speed - 708 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13716 m. Flight Time - 228 sec.
Maximum Speed - 690 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13716 m. Flight Time - 236 sec.
First powered flight. Maximum Speed - 859 kph. Maximum Altitude - 15819 m. Flight Time - 377 sec.
Maximum Speed - 821 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13716 m. Flight Time - 348 sec.
Maximum Speed - 788 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18440 m. Flight Time - 353 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1035 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18898 m. Flight Time - 415 sec.
First M2-F3 supersonic flight. Maximum Speed - 1163 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20513 m. Flight Time - 390 sec.
Maximum Speed - 772 kph. Maximum Altitude - 12802 m. Flight Time - 210 sec.
Glide flight. Maximum Speed - 784 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13716 m. Flight Time - 215 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1356 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21580 m. Flight Time - 391 sec.
Maximum Speed - 861 kph. Maximum Altitude - 14265 m. Flight Time - 451 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1049 kph. Maximum Altitude - 18562 m. Flight Time - 420 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1168 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20480 m. Flight Time - 375 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1344 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20330 m. Flight Time - 376 sec.
Maximum Speed - 935 kph. Maximum Altitude - 14020 m. Flight Time - 387 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1424 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20330 m. Flight Time - 366.5 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1455 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20210 m. Flight Time - 376 sec.
Fastest M2-F3 flight. Maximum Speed - 1712 kph. Maximum Altitude - 20330 m. Flight Time - 383 sec.
Maximum Speed - 1593 kph. Maximum Altitude - 21640 m. Flight Time - 435 sec.
Last rocket-powered flight. Maximum Speed - 1255 kph. Maximum Altitude - 17680 m. Flight Time - 438 sec.