Jack Ridley
ARPS – early astronaut training
In late 1961, we were ready to screen applicants for our first class at the space school, and because they would be the first bunch, the screening process was particularly thorough. We wanted only the very best pilots, and our first couple of classes consisted of experienced military test pilots, who had graduated from Edwards’…
Read More1947: Recording the Shock Wave on the X-1
Ridley put holes in the horizontal stabilizer and connected them to a recorder. Each flight he could see what the shock wave was doing. c. GCYI
Read MoreBroken Ribs Before Breaking the Sound Barrier
October 12-13, 1947: In Chuck Yeager’s own words: Sunday night (October 12, 1947), after eating dinner at Pancho’s, Glennis and I decided to go riding. Glennis suggested a race back to the corral. As I got very close, in the lead, I saw someone had closed the gate. My horse and I pulled about 3…
Read MoreHuntin’ for Bear – 1947
From General Yeager: “Pancho’s was the scene of many a wild night. And it was also the staging area for many great adventures. One of the most memorable was during the sound barrier flights. At 2am on a Saturday night, and a bunch of us were still at the bar, when Russ Schleeh, a great…
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