NASA Test Pilot Mike Lippert Powers Up X-59 Cockpit for First Time in Milestone Training Step
Why It MattersThe training milestone advances NASA's Quesst effort to certify quiet supersonic flight over land, a step that could eventually reopen commercial supersonic routes.
NASA test pilot Mike Lippert powered up the X-59 cockpit for the first time in late August, running the aircraft's engines on the ground as a key step in his preparation to fly the experimental aircraft. Lippert, the newest test pilot for NASA's Quesst mission, said getting into the cockpit felt very comfortable and credited the team for making sure he was trained and prepared.
The X-59's two established test pilots, Nils Larson and Jim "Clue" Less, guided Lippert throughout the ground run, with Larson monitoring his coordination with the control room and Less answering questions and providing coaching. Their feedback, along with input from experienced engineers, turned the engine startup sequence into a detailed training exercise on the aircraft's systems and the pace of test operations. The session also introduced Lippert to the maintenance crew and gave him firsthand experience of how the cockpit and control room work together during critical operations.
The X-59 is designed to produce a quiet thump rather than a sonic boom when flying faster than the speed of sound, and NASA plans to eventually fly the aircraft over U.S. communities to gather public-perception data on the sounds it generates.
