X-PLANES: PUSHING THE ENVELOPE OF FLIGHT

Since the first edition of X-Planes at Edwards (0-87989-85-0) was published in 1995, many new types of civilian (Rutan-types, 717 and 777), military (Bombers, Fighters, Reconnaissance Drones and Transports) and dedicated research aircraft (X-planes) have been created by numerous manufacturers and then flight-tested at the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) and NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of California.

A number of these flight-test programs have concluded but a number of them are ongoing. These include: Boeing North American B-1B Lancer, Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit, Boeing C-17A Globemaster III, Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22A Raptor, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Prototypes - Boeing X-32 and Lockheed Martin X-35, Lockheed/Boeing/General Dynamics YF-22A Lightning II, Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23A Gray Ghost, Boeing 717, Boeing 777, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) - RQ-1 through RQ-8, Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV) - Boeing X-45A and Northrop Grumman X-47A Pegasus, X-planes, X-32 through X-49. By Steve Pace.