Petersen Forrest

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Petersen Forrest

Forrest Silas Petersen Status: Inactive. Trained as: Test Pilot. Profession: Pilot. Sex: Male. Marital Status: Married. Children: Three. Birth Date: 16 May 1922. Birth City: Holdrege. Birth State: Nebraska. Birth Country: USA. Nationality: American. Group: Test Pilot (USAF). Date Selected: 01 January 1958. Departed: 1962. Number of Flights: 0.

Born in Holdrege, Nebraska; married with three children. BS, US Naval Academy, 1944; BS, aerospace engineering, US Naval Postgraduate School, 1952; MS, engineering, Princeton University, 1953. Joined the X-15 program in 1958, making five flights before leaving the project in 1962. Before retiring from the Navy in 1980 he reached teh rank of Vice Admiral and served as Commander, Naval Air Systems Command.

Flight Log

X-15 Flight 22 - - 1960 Sep 23 - Assignment: Prime Crew.
Maximum Speed - 1783 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16168 m. Premature shutdown of both XLR-11's.
X-15 Flight 23 - - 1960 Oct 20 - Assignment: Prime Crew.
Maximum Speed - 2059 kph. Maximum Altitude - 16398 m.
X-15 Flight 39 - - 1961 Aug 10 - Assignment: Prime Crew.
Maximum Speed - 4401 kph. Maximum Altitude - 23830 m. Lost cabin pressure.
X-15 Flight 41 - - 1961 Sep 28 - Assignment: Prime Crew.
Maximum Speed - 5792 kph. Maximum Altitude - 31030 m. Test reentry heat limit. Smoke in cockpit due to scorching paint.
X-15 Flight 47 - - 1962 Jan 10 - Assignment: Prime Crew.
Emergency landing on Mud Lake after engine failed to light. Maximum Speed - 1038 kph. Maximum Altitude - 13,640 m.

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Last update 3 May 2001.
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