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NASA Meatball NASA Dryden MD-11 Propulsion Controlled Aircraft (PCA) banner
MD-11 PCA - Research flight team egress MD-11 PCA - Research flight team egress

Photo Number: EC95-43251-3
Photo Date: 29 Aug 1995

Formats: 351x480 JPEG Image (57 KBytes)
748x1024 JPEG Image (326 KBytes)

Description: This McDonnell Douglas MD-11 has parked on the flightline at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, following its completion of the first and second landings ever performed by a transport aircraft under engine power only (on Aug. 29, 1995). The milestone flight, with NASA research pilot and former astronaut Gordon Fullerton at the controls, was part of a NASA project to develop a computer-assisted engine control system that enables a pilot to land a plane safely when its normal control surfaces are disabled.

Coming down the steps from the aircraft are Gordon Fullerton (in front), followed by Bill Burcham, Propulsion Controlled Aircraft (PCA) project engineer at Dryden; NASA Dryden controls engineer John Burken; John Feather of McDonnell Douglas; and Drew Pappas, McDonnell Douglas' project manager for PCA.


Keywords: MD-11; PCA; Propulsion Controlled Aircraft; landing


Last Modified: February 6, 2002
Responsible NASA Official: Marty Curry
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