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Louis Schalk

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Louis Wellington 'Lou' Schalk, Jr (29 May 1926 – 16 August 2002)[1] was an American aviator. As chief test pilot for the Lockheed Corporation's Skunk Works, he was first to fly the Lockheed A-12.[2]

A native of Alden, Iowa, Schalk graduated from West Point in 1948,[3] training and receiving his pilot's wings at Nellis Air Force Base,[4] then serving with the 86th Fighter-Bomber Wing in Germany, then completing flight instructor school at Craig AFB[5] and teaching at Laredo Air Force Base in Texas.[6]

Schalk graduated first in his class at the Experimental Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in 1954, becoming an Air Force test pilot assigned to Fighter Operations, testing such aircraft as the F-100, F-101, and F-104, under the command of Pete Everest and Chuck Yeager.[7][8]

He joined Lockheed in 1957, and in 1959 was chosen by Kelly Johnson as chief test pilot for the Skunk Works.[9]

As such, he assisted in the design of the cockpit of the A-12 as well as conducting the unofficial and official first flights of the aircraft and contributing to the resolution of initial instability issues.[10][11][12] In his role as chief test pilot Schalk interfaced extensively and significantly with systems engineers for the A-12, YF-12, and SR-71, conducting the first thirteen flights of the A-12, the first four flights in excess of Mach 3.0, reaching a top speed of Mach 3.287, and conducting subsequent engineering test flights above Mach 3.0 as engine, inlet, afterburner and other critical systems were evaluated and fine-tuned, with altitudes in excess of 90,000 feet.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ Roadrunners Internationale
  2. ^ "The Oxcart Story". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  3. ^ Roadrunners Internationale
  4. ^ Roadrunners Internationale
  5. ^ Roadrunners Internationale]
  6. ^ Los Angeles Times
  7. ^ Roadrunners Internationale
  8. ^ Los Angeles Times
  9. ^ Los Angeles Times
  10. ^ Lockheed Blackbird: Beyond the Secret Missions
  11. ^ Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secred Military Base
  12. ^ Los Angeles Times
  13. ^ Test & Research Pilots
  14. ^ Roadrunners Internationale
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