This package contains 2 versions of the X-15-1 with the interim XLR-11 rocket engines and two versions of the aircraft with the million-horsepower XLR-99 rocket engine.

The North American X-15-1 (serial number AF56-6670) was the first of three experimental X-15 aircraft built in the late 1950s to demonstrate the ability of pilots to fly rocket-powered airplanes out of the earth's atmosphere and back to precision landing. The X-15 was a single-place research airplane, designed to obtain data on flight at extremely high altitudes and speeds and on the effects of such flight conditions on the aircraft and on the pilot. The X-15-1 was rolled out in October 1958, and successfully completed its first powered flight in January 1960, after a series of captive and glide flights. The No. 1 aircraft completed 81 missions during the entire (9-year) X-15 research program. The legendary test pilot Scott Crossfield was the first to fly the X-15-1 in the spring of 1959 while NASA pilot Bill Dana flew the aircraft for the last time in October 1968.

X-15-1 for Flight Simulator Key Features

• Custom X-15 flight model to simulate rocket-powered high-speed and high-altitude flight in FS2004 and FSX:
  • Supersonic flight up to Mach 4.65 in FS2004 and FSX
  • High-altitude flight up to 354,200 feet in FSX (100,000 feet in FS2004)
  • Can be launched either from a high altitude like the real X-15 or take off from an airport runway like other Flight Simulator aircraft
  • Good maneuvrability at supersonic speeds and excellent gliding capabilities
• Highly detailed 3D models with more than 300 parts, 60 animations, reflective textures and unique markings, based on archive material
• Fully functional instrument panels with 240 custom gauges and systems to simulate almost every step and procedure required in a typical X-15 mission
• Spectacular visual effects including rocket engine flames, APU exhaust and propellant jettison effects
• Uses a custom fuel management system with three different types of propellants (water-alcohol or ammonia, liquid oxygen and hydrogen peroxide) and pressurized helium or nitrogen, like in the real-world X-15 rocket plane
• Includes a comprehensive 100-page user manual inspired from the original X-15 utility flight manuals, in a printable PDF format (English and French language versions are included with the software)
•  NEW! Fully functional 3D virtual cockpits with over 900 parts and nearly 200 animated gauges, switches, levers, light indicators and flight instruments
• NEW! New VC switches, control sticks, handles and levers
• NEW! Multiple side views for the main 2D panel
• NEW An automatic ignition sequence to start the X-15 engine at the touch of a single “magic” red button
• NEW! New cockpit spotlights (VC and exterior model)
• NEW! Ten camera definitions or views (FSX only), some of them corresponding to the real-world X-15 external bug-eye cameras
• NEW! New X-15 custom sound sets for FSX and FS2004
• NEW! New “invisible” canopy mode to fly the X-15 without her clamshell-type canopy on for more visibility and a spectacular view from the VC
• NEW! Twelve saved flights based on X-15 historical missions to simulate a high-altitude launch from a carrier aircraft or a takeoff from the ground
• Spectacular visual special effects including rocket engine flames, APU exhaust and propellant jettison effects
• A custom fuel management system with three different types of propellants (water-alcohol or ammonia, liquid oxygen and hydrogen peroxide) and pressurized helium or nitrogen, like in the real-world X-15 rocket plane
• NEW! A comprehensive 100-page user manual and a 20-page VC manual inspired from the original X-15 utility flight manuals, in a printable PDF format (English and French language versions are included with the software) 

X-15-1 Add-on Aircraft Description

This package contains two versions of the X-15-1 aircraft (serial number AF56-6670) equipped with the XLR-11 rocket engines (limited-mission configuration) and two versions of the X-15-1 aircraft equipped with the XLR-99 rocket engine (design-mission configuration).

The X-15-1, equipped with the interim XLR-11 engines, completed 21 flights between June 1959 and February 1961, before it was converted to the XLR-99 engine configuration. The aircraft completed 60 flights in its design-mission configuration between August 1961 and October 1968.

Removable wing-tip pods that contained cameras and various research instruments were attached to the aircraft in the fall of 1964. The pods and other parts of the airplane were covered with temperature-sensitive paints of different colors. The second variation of the aircraft also features a tail-cone box with additional experimentation equipment and a reconnaissance camera window under the front compartment.

X-15-1 Advanced Instrument Panels

What makes the X-15 for Flight Simulator series exciting and unique are the advanced fully functional instrument panels with custom gauges and systems to simulate almost every step and procedure required in a typical X-15 mission:

• Aircraft servicing (all three propellants and gases);
• APUs/generators/hydraulic pump operation;
• Propellant tank pressurization;
• Engine precool and prime;
• Turbopump operation;
• Rocket ignition sequence;
• Monitoring of propellant pressure gauges;
• Propellant jettison.

Almost every X-15 internal system has been integrated into the X-15 for Flight Simulator panels:

• Engine propellant and control system;
• Engine ignition system;
• APUs and electrical power distribution systems;
• Hydraulic systems;
• Temperature control systems.

The X-15-1 for Flight Simulator comes with three main instrument panels and eight secondary panels, either in their original black version or the later light blue-gray version. Included with each X-15-1 add-on aircraft is:

• A main panel;
• A service panel;
• A "vent, pressurize, jettison" lever panel;
• A throttle and speed brake lever panel;
• A left side panel;
• A right side panel;
• A radio panel (ADF panel on some aircraft);
• A center pedestal panel with research instrumentation and stability augmentation system panels;
• An RAS (reaction augmentation system) panel on some aircraft;

In addition, the default Flight Simulator Garmin GPS and magnetic compass panels are available from the main panel. 240 custom gauges have been developed for the X-15-1 for Flight Simulator and each one has been carefully designed based on the original instrument found in the real X-15 aircraft. Note that one variation of the X-15-1 has a revised light blue-gray instrument panel that replaced the original black panel in the summer of 1963. The new panel contrasted better with the gauges, light indicators and flight instruments.

X-15-1 Utility Flight Manual

Included with the software are the 100-page English and French versions of the X-15-1 Utility Flight Manual, available in a printable PDF format (Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 5.0 or later required).

The manual has been specifically designed for the X-15 for Flight Simulator and is based on the original real-world X-15 utility flight manuals.

The flight manual contains the necessary information for the installation and operation of the X-15-1 virtual aircraft and associated instrument panels. It contains instructions and procedures for both XLR-11 and XLR-99 rocket engine operation, on the X-15-1 for Flight Simulator.

The end-user is encouraged to print a copy of the manual for his/her own use, in conjunction with the add-on simulation software. The best way to keep the manual handy for easy reference during flight is to organize it in a durable presentation binder.

Product Specifications (X-15-1 for Flight Simulator)

GENERAL FEATURES

2 versions of the X-15-1 aircraft (s/n AF56-6670) with the XLR-11 rocket engines (limited-mission configuration):

• "Clean" rollout version with the NACA vane-type boom nose and the original (XLR-11) black panel;
• "Dirty" version with the NACA vane-type boom nose and the original (XLR-11) black panel.

2 versions of the X-15-1 aircraft (s/n AF56-6670) with the XLR-99 rocket engine (design-mission configuration):

• "Dirty" version with the NACA/Nortronics ball nose and the original (XLR-99) black panel;
• "Dirty" version with the NACA/Nortronics ball nose, wing-tip pods, tail-cone box and the (XLR-99) light blue-gray panel.

FLIGHT MODEL FEATURES

• Custom X-15 flight model to simulate rocket-powered high-speed and high-altitude flight in FS2004 and FSX
• Two Reaction Motors XLR-11, 5900-pound four-chambered liquid-fuel turbo-rocket engines
• (or) One Reaction Motors XLR-99, "throttable" 60,000-pound liquid-fuel turbo-rocket engine
• Supersonic flight up to Mach 4.65 in FS2004 and FSX
• High-altitude flight up to 354,200 feet in FSX (100,000 feet in FS2004)
• Ground takeoff or high-altitude launch
• Good maneuvrability at supersonic speeds
• Excellent gliding capabilities

AIRCRAFT 3D MODEL FEATURES

• Highly detailed models based on archive material, with more than 300 parts and 60 animations
• Reflective textures
• Unique markings and liveries (on each aircraft)
• Dynamic frost texture on fuselage (around the liquid oxygen tank when filled)
• Movable aerodynamic control surfaces:
  • Differential horizontal stabilizer
  • Vertical stabilizers with movable and fixed sections and a jettisonable ventral rudder
  • Flaps
• Extendable upper and lower split-flap speed brakes
• Landing skids and front gear ("steerable")
• Movable canopy
• Cockpit details with astronaut/pilot and animated sticks and levers
• Experimental equipment on some airplanes (wing-tip pods, tail-cone box, etc.)

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

• Over 15 X-15-specific animated visual effects
• Engine flame and contrail effects
• Engine first and/or second stage igniter effects
• Propellant jettison effects
• APU and turbopump exhaust effects
• Engine precool and prime effects
• Condensation effect near the cold propellant tanks when filled

CUSTOM AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS FEATURES

• Fictional service panel system for external power and aircraft refueling (water-alcohol or ammonia, liquid oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitrogen and helium gas, liquid nitrogen)
• Custom X-15 fuel management system for the three different types of propellants and gases, like in the real-world X-15 rocket plane
• Engine propellant pressurization and control system
• Engine turbopump system
• Engine ignition control system
• Electrical distribution and control system with APUs, generators, emergency battery and an external power source
• Hydraulic systems
• Temperature control systems

ADVANCED 2D PANEL FEATURES

• Advanced X-15 black (2D) main instrument panels (XLR-11 or XLR-99 engines)
• Advanced X-15 light blue-gray (2D) main instrument panel (XLR-99 engine)
• Service panel
• Left white console panel with "vent, pressurize, jettison" lever and flaps switch
• Throttle (or thrust selector switches on the XLR-11-equipped aircraft) and speed brake panel
• Left side panel
• Right side panel
• Radio panel (ADF panel on some aircraft)
• RAS panel (on some aircraft)
• Center pedestal with research instrumentation and stability augmentation system panels
• 240 fully functional custom integrated systems and gauges with "tooltips"
• X-15-1 aircraft kneeboard reference tab and check list
• 100-page English and French language utility flight manuals with step-by-step procedures (PDF formal, requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader)

NOTE: Specifications are subject to change without notice.