Test Pilot Experiences

post thumbnail

Slide Rule Accuracy

Experimental projects at Vought Aircraft were exciting and involved great preparation. All engineers knew slide rules like front-line soldiers know their rifles.
In early 1947, I was the pilot on a project that our customer (Navy/Marines) wanted: a F4U Corsair that would go 450 mph at heights up to 40,000 feet, continually for a minimum of [...]

27Aug2009 | Wayne Harding | 0 comments | Continued
post thumbnail

A Fun Time Turned Smelly

At Chance Vought Aircraft in the Aeronautical Engineering Department, rookies were assigned to experienced engineers for the first year. My tutor, when I worked in the department at times I was not flying, was Al Borserine.
(Keep in mind Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine pilots were still flying propeller planes, not jets.)
Al and I were [...]

6Aug2009 | Wayne Harding | 2 comments | Continued
post thumbnail

Camaraderie at Idlewild Airport

During my two years at Chance Vought Aircraft, construction of a new mammoth airport for New York City was in progress. One runway was so long and wide that many aircraft companies in New England requested and obtained permission to use this runway for emergency and initial flight landings. The airport was called Idlewild until [...]

30May2009 | Wayne Harding | 0 comments | Continued
post thumbnail

Breaking the Sound Barrier

As I began my learning curve and duties of a test pilot, I became immersed in the challenge of being first to crack the sound barrier, especially since I worked in Aerodynamics much of my time at Chance Vought Aircraft. I had been hired as an engineering test pilot.
The barrier in design of future planes [...]

25May2009 | Wayne Harding | 1 comment | Continued