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Fullerton, Mallick honored
City of Lancaster Two Dryden men who researched some of the most innovative aircraft at NASA were inducted Sept. 23 into an elite group of aerospace legends at the City of Lancaster's 11th Annual Aerospace Walk of Honor. Six-foot tall granite monuments honor inductees, which this year include Dryden's Gordon Fullerton and Donald L. Mallick. Also inducted were NASA astronaut Col. Frank Borman, USAF, George R. Jansen, A Douglas Aircraft legend, and Col. Russell E. Schleeh, USAF. Col. Fullerton is best known as Space Shuttle Challenger commander on the STS-51F Spacelab 2 mission in 1985, the highlight of his career as a NASA astronaut. As an astronaut he logged 383 hours of space flight and he is now a Dryden research pilot. Despite his many accomplishments, Fullerton is still humble about his career. "It's fantastic to be inducted into the Walk of Honor. I credit a lot of good luck and timing in my being able to do what I love to do. It is an honor to join the folks who already have been inducted into the Walk of Honor," he said. Fullerton graduated from the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards in 1965, and he was a test pilot with Bomber Operations at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, until selected as a flight crew member for the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory. In 1969, he was assigned to the Johnson Space Center as an astronaut; he supported Apollo 14, 15, 16 and 17 lunar missions. He recalled strapping Alan Shepherd into his seat in Apollo 14 and thinking, "I could just jump right in and fly to the moon and back." In 1977 he participated in the initial approach and landing tests of the Space Shuttle prototype Enterprise at Edwards and in 1982 he flew the Columbia on STS-3. He has logged over 15,000 hours in 135 different aircraft, including the T-33, T-34, T-37, T-38, T-39, F-86, F-101, F-104, F-106, F-111, F-14, F-15, F/A-18, X-29, KC-135, C-140, B-47, B-52, CV-990, DC-8, MD-11, F-15 HIDEC and Boeing 747. Fullerton was honored with the Society of Experimental Test Pilots' Iven C. Kincheloe Award and Ray E. Tenhoff Award; Department of Defense Distinguished and Superior Service Medals; Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross; NASA Distinguished and Exceptional Service Medals; NASA Space Flight Medals; General Thomas D. White Space Trophy; Haley Space Flight Award; and induction into the International Space Hall of Fame. He earned bachelor and master of science degrees in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology. As a young child, Fullerton flew a cardboard cockpit in his back yard. It was his favorite toy. Today, he is forthright about his favorite aircraft. "My favorite plane is the one I'm flying at the moment." He is one of very few test pilots to have combined space exploration with airplane flight research to build an enduring career. Dryden's other inductee is pilot Donald L. Mallick. He was the project pilot for the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) flight test program, developing technology to simulate the final phase lunar landing maneuver. Recognized for his flight test work with the LLRV, XB-70A and YF-12 aircraft, he was Dryden's chief pilot and later Aircraft Operations Division Deputy Chief. "I'm honored to be selected. I have so many good friends that have been inducted and I'm glad to be joining them. I have flown with 15 of the Walk of Honor inductees," he said. Mallick recalled the feeling of his first flight in the open cockpit of the original Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, saying it was more like flying in a chair than an aircraft. Summing up his career, Mallick said, "I was walking with a lot of giants." A Navy fighter pilot from 1950-1954, Mallick flew the McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee. After flying as a research pilot at Langley for the NACA and NASA from 1957 to 1963, he joined the NASA pilots at Edwards Air Force Base in 1963, graduating from the USAF Aerospace Pilot School in 1964. He flew tests on the Lockheed JetStar and conducted flight research on the XB-70A for data intended to support supersonic transport (SST) development. In the 1970s he tested the YF-12 and many light aircraft. In 30 years of flight test, Mallick flew 11,000 hours in over 125 different aircraft and helicopters. He has flown the XB-70A, LLRV, F-100, TB-58, B-52, F-104, F5D, Convair 990, Aero Commander, Bell 47G, C-47, F8UF, H-19, F-86D, VZ-2, HO3S-1, HR2S, YF-12A and M2-F1 lifting body. A Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Mallick authored technical papers on handling qualities as well as articles on the LLRV, Lunar Simulation studies and XB-70 and SST Crew Training. Mallick earned a bachelor of arts degree in aeronautical engineering at the University of Florida in 1957. Speculating on the future of flight test, Mallick said, "The new millenium is already one of communications, computers and an advanced technology that is hard to believe. The test pilot must stay abreast of all this. But, above all, he must never forget to maintain the vigilance and always prepare himself completely on the ground before taking to flight." Initiated in 1990, the Aerospace Walk of Honor program seeks to recognize experimental test pilots who have made outstanding contributions to the aerospace industry. This year's celebration will bring the number of test pilots honored on the monuments lining Lancaster Boulevard to 55. In a profession where extraordinary achievement is the norm, honorees selected for the Aerospace Walk of Honor have soared above the rest. This year, several companies joined the City of Lancaster to help sponsor the Aerospace Walk of Honor. The signature sponsor of the event is The Boeing Corporation. Other corporate sponsors include Lockheed Aeronautical Company, Northrop Grumman, Southern California Edison and GTE. Dryden also participated in the Walk of Honor by exhibiting the LLRV and the M2-F1 in Lancaster for the unveiling. |
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Responsible NASA Official: John Childress For questions, contact: Dryden Web Group Page Curator:WD-Team Modified: September 26, 2000 |
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