NASA Academy in Aeronautics at Dryden Flight Research Center
July 2, 1998
We are already approaching the halfway point of the 1998 NASA Academy at Dryden Flight
Research Center, and the RAs are all working on exciting projects and getting exposure
to the amazing planes and resources here at Dryden; the summer is off to a great
start! Some of the projects include working in the propulsion branch on both the LASRE
and F-15 Active programs. The LASRE (Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment) is a vital
part of the X-33 development. Other projects include using the F-16XL to study control laws for the X-33, studying pressure distributions on the APEX glider, testing
new actuators on the F/A-18 SRA (Systems Research Aircraft), and using the STARS
finite element software package for structural analysis of the Aeroelastic Test Wing.
Each of the RAs at Dryden has become an important member of the team working on these
projects. The RAs are also learning about the other activities at Dryden working
on the group project- a collection of Information Summaries of each of the different
groups at DFRC. RAs are interviewing test pilots, project managers, simulation engineers,
and flight operations engineers around the center. By the time the summer is over
the Academy will have been exposed to the complete flight testing experience.
Some of highlights of the first half of the summer include a visit to the National
Test Pilot School in Mojave, seeing the Space Shuttle Atlantis in Palmdale for modifications,
touring the Air Force Rocket Test Labs at Edwards; these are just a few of the places we have seen. The people we have met have also been amazing. The Experimental
Aircraft Association volunteered personal flights one morning for airborne tours
of the Antelope Valley and Kern River Valley. We have also had lunch with Ken Szalai,
the Director of Dryden, Ken Iliff, the Chief Scientist, and had a wonderful evening
with Peter Diamandis, Chairman, X-Prize Foundation, while we were visiting the Goddard
Academy (who were also terrific hosts). There are several events for the second
half of the summer that are highly anticipated: a visit to Scaled Composites to meet Burt
Rutan, a couple of visits with the Ames Academy, witnessing an SR-71 flight, and
a couple trips down to Los Angeles for JPL and AeroVironment.
Our tight little group of seven people has bonded and formed a very strong team.
This is in part due to our ropes course experienc e at Big Bear Lake, and also to
the fact that we live out of our 15 passenger van when commuting from the 3 apartments
to Dryden everyday. The small size of the Dryden Academy is something that will never
change. There are so many advantages to keeping our number so small and it makes
it much easier to fit into the Dryden culture.
I love what the Academy program is all about. If I had not been an RA in the first
Aeronautics Academy last summer here at Dryden, I never would have had the opportunity
to work with such an amazing group of students, and I never could have gotten the
job I start in September- working on the F-22 at Lockheed Aeronautical Systems in Marietta,
GA. The spark to be the best researchers and leaders is in all the RAs, the Academy
is the chance to fuel the fire. Let's continue to make this program so successful!
-- Kyle Snyder
Director, DFRC Aeronautics Academy
Christie Bertels
| University of Kansas | |
Emily Eelkema
| University of Minnesota | |
Justin Garr
| Rutgers University | |
Heather Hillebrandt
| University of Wisconsin- Madison | |
Aaron Jacobovits
| University of Michigan | |
Nathan Palumbo
| Purdue University | |
Staff: Kyle T. Snyder (DFRC'97), Director