Page 8 - Aerotech News and Review, January 7, 2022

MOJAVE, from 7
management and the pilot group. Benet flew the Cessna Citation chase plane. from the United States of America. They were to fly their 1942
The test flight lasted nearly three hours and at the conclusion, Stearman ‘Felix’ in the race.
April was a busy month at MASP: ATAC Hunter at Mo- ROC made a couple of low passes down Runway 30. Cameras and Rutherford asked Barney if she might talk to Zara about becom-
jave Air and Space Port cell phones were everywhere and you could hear the audible oooo’s ing an Aerospace Engineer. She answered in the affirmative and
A MK-58 Hunter was at the space Port in mid-April perform- and aaahh’s, as ROC effortlessly glided through the air. “There she suggested that she land at Mojave during her round the world flight.
ing research and development flights. The aircraft is operated by is!” several people exclaimed. Sam Rutherford is a former British Army Belgian pilot who
ATAC (Airborne Tactical Advantage Company), and is based at At approximately 10:30 a.m., ROC touched down on Runway began his flying career at age 13 and soloed when he was 16. Ruth-
NAS Point Mugu. ATAC is part of the Textron Systems segment 30 at Mojave Air and Space Port with a slight quartering tailwind erford holds a commercial license in fixed wing aircraft and heli-
of Textron Inc., in Newport News, Va. from the east. copter, with over 3,000 flight hours logged. Zara’s mother Beatrica
This aircraft and many other Hawker Hunters are used for tacti- New employees have been recruited to fill positions in this aero- is also a pilot and a lawyer.
cal air training, threat simulation and research and development space firm that has a mission statement “to be the world’s leading According to a website about her father, “Zara has been travel-
programs. provider of high-speed flight test services,” with hypersonic ve- ing in small planes since the age of six and began jumping out of
Military and civilian organizations find the cost effectiveness of hicles that reach speeds of Mach 5 to Mach 10. them — with a parachute — at eleven.”
ATAC an advantage when conducting airborne missions. Stratolaunch has revealed the designs of two hypersonic aircraft The flight began Aug. 18 in Belgium.
Richard Zins, vice president Business Operations was pilot for plus a reusable space plane that will be launched from its giant When airport management heard the news they were quick to
the Mojave mission. He was enthusiastic about flying this clas- Carrier Aircraft launch plane. The company hopes to begin test make plans and ready all hands. “We will be at her beck and call,”
sic British multi-role aircraft and said they enjoy the facilities at flights of these vehicles by 2022. said Matt Nelson, MASP Airport Ops Manager.
Mojave. The professionalism of the ATAC flight support crew was “Our hypersonic testbeds will serve as a catalyst in sparking a A meet and greet event on the flightline, a press conference was
impressive. They are former military personnel who conduct pre- renaissance in hypersonic technologies for our government, the set up in the Board Room, plus tours at the various aerospace firms
flight inspections, signal the pilot for engine start and then inspect commercial sector, and academia,” said W. Jean Floyd, Strato- located on the space port.
entire exterior of the aircraft, and pull chocks, before giving pilot launch’s CEO, on the company’s website. Todd Lindner, MASP CEO/General Manager said, “We are very
the signal to proceed with taxi The two new hypersonic planes are called Talon-A and Talon-Z, excited to be a part of Miss Rutheford’s journey around the world.
ATAC bases are located on the East and West Coasts of the U.S., while the space plane is dubbed Black Ice. We will help her any way possible.”
in Hawaii and Japan. Talon-A, it is a flexible, high-speed testbed built for hypersonic The Shark Aero flown by Zarea is a high-performance two seat
research, experiments, and enabling operational missions. The ve- tandem ultralight aircraft with retractable gear, a smaller wing, a
Stargazer: Last flying L-1011 Tri-Star in the world hicle will be 8.5 meters long with a wingspan of 3.4 meters and a variable-pitch propeller and first class comfortable cockpit interior.
“Stargazer” is an L-1011 commercial transport aircraft, for- total mass of approximately 2.7 tons at launch. It will be dropped Shark was designed and constructed as a fast cross-country air-
merly with Air Canada, modified to serve as the launch platform aloft by its mothership, the giant carrier aircraft. plane, built on innovative design and new technologies.
for Orbital’s air-launched Pegasus rocket as well as a platform for “We believe that innovative flight research and testing programs The departure flight from Hawthorne, Calif., was delayed a few
airborne research projects. The foundation for Orbital Sciences are key to enabling our nation to develop emerging hypersonic hours due to a marine layer that made visibility less than three
Corporation was laid in 1980. This L-1011 aircraft was purchased technologies into operational systems. Stratolaunch designs, man- miles. When weather conditions cleared Rutherford took off and
in 1992, modified to carry Pegasus rocket and began work in the ufactures, and launches aerospace vehicles and technologies to headed for Mojave.
commercial space industry in June 1994. fulfill several important national needs, including the need for reli- As everyone waited in the Voyager Restaurant and out on the
Lockheed Aircraft Company manufactured 250 L-1011 Tri-Stars able, routine access to space and the need to significantly advance ramp, Diane Barney announced, “She just took off!” Many people
in Palmdale, Calif., from 1968 to 1984. the nation’s ability to design and operate hypersonic vehicles. watched Zara’s progress on their Smart phones with Flight Fol-
The “Stargazer” L-1011 has been used to launch numerous Pega- lowing. About 30 minutes later, someone shouted, “She’s over
sus rockets as well as the captive carry flights of the X-34 reus- Rosamond!”
able launch vehicle demonstrator. As of October 2019, 44 rockets Excitement grew as everyone went out onto the flightline to get
(containing 95 satellites) have been launched from it, using the a better view of her landing. Mojave Air and Space Port Fire truck
Pegasus-H and Pegasus-XL configurations. was staged and ready to give her a special welcome.
“Stargazer,” off on another mission, departed Mojave Air and After landing on Runway 26, Todd Lindner, MASP General
Manager and Matt Nelson, MASP Airport Operations Manager
were on the ramp to direct her to parking. As she turned onto
Taxiway Charlie with everyone cheering, Fire Chief Damien Far-
rar turned on the fire cannon which arched over the top of Zara’s
aircraft.
Water droplets were still visible on the Shark ultralight, as
19-yearold Zara Rutherford taxied to a stop in front of the original
MCAS Marine Corps Air Station tower at Mojave Air and Space
Port.
Tehachapi Build-A-Plane students gathered next to Zara and her

Photograph by Jim Mumaw
After many days of waiting for high winds and bad weather to
clear, the colossal, six engine Stratolaunch carrier aircraft, with
its enormous wingspan, lifted off gracefully from Runway 30 at
Mojave Air and Space Port at 7:30 a.m., on April 29.
Photograph by Diane Barney
Space Port in April. Zara Rutherford with Diane Barney.
The L-1011 crew tells how this aircraft received the name “Star- Virgin Galactic photograph
gazer.” It is a tribute to the television series Star Trek: The Next VMS Eve flew from its operating base in New Mexico to Mojave
Generation fictional starship, the USS Stargazer. Developing hypersonic technologies is one of our country’s most to begin upgrades and repairs.
important national priority programs,” said Stephen Corda, Chief
Stratolaunch soars into the skies of Mojave once again Technology Officer on the company’s website.
After many days of waiting for high winds and bad weather to airplane for a historical group photo.
clear, the colossal six-engined carrier aircraft with an enormous Teenage aviator aims to be youngest woman to cir-
wingspan lifted off gracefully from Runway 30 at Mojave Air and cumnavigate the world VMS Eve returns
Space Port at 7:30 a.m., on April 29, just as it had done two years Diane Barney, Mojave Air and Space Port Board Director, VMS Eve returned to MHV the weekend of Oct. 30, and put on
ago on April 13. alerted everyone that Zara Rutherford, the youngest woman to at- quite the performance with several touch and goes before coming
Airport personnel and fans of ‘Roc’ gathered to watch with awe tempt a flight around the world solo would be landing at Mojave to a full stop here in Mojave
as the giant composite flying machine climbed effortlessly into the on Sept. 13. VMS Eve flew from its operating base in New Mexico to begin
clear blue skies for a three hour test flight. This gigantic aircraft Barney knew Sam Rutherford, Zara’s father, from a previous upgrades and repairs. The plan is that these repairs and upgrades
is nicknamed Roc as a tribute to the giant bird of Arabian and endeavor called the Vintage Air Rally, Ushuaia2USA. Ushuaia is will take from 8 to 10 months to complete. It was great to see and
Persian mythology. the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur hear her in the Mojave skies again!
Pilots Evan “Ivan” Thomas and Mark “Gidro” Giddings, with Province, Argentina. Tehachapi resident, Dustin Mosher and Mo- See MOJAVE, Page 12
Flight Engineer Jake Riley were at the controls of Roc, while Ana jave resident, Diane Barney were chosen as one of the four teams
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