AEROSPACE WALK OF HONOR ADDS FIVE; LANCASTER CELEBRATES HERO FLIERS.Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Daily News Staff Writer Five former test pilots' names were added to the city's Aerospace Walk of Honor The Aerospace Walk of Honor in Lancaster, California, USA, is a continually-growing venue for honoring test pilots who have significantly contributed to aviation and space research and development. on Sunday, kicking off a week of events commemorating the 50th anniversary both of the Air Force and of the first flight faster than the speed of sound. Civic leaders blocked off Lancaster Boulevard for a ceremony unveiling five 6-foot-tall granite monuments bearing the names of Lt. Gen. Thomas Stafford, Lt. Col. Robert Ferry, John Manke, Lt. Col. Norman ``Ken'' Dyson and Col. Joseph Cotton. An F-117 stealth fighter flew low over the boulevard to kick off the ceremony. The Aerospace Walk of Honor was created by the city of Lancaster The City of Lancaster (2002 population: 133,914) is a local government district with city status in Lancashire, England. Its main town is Lancaster, from which it obtained its city status. Other towns in the district include Morecambe, Heysham, Slyne, and Carnforth. in 1990 to pay tribute to distinguished test pilots who have served at Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. . Sunday's ceremony brought to 40 the number of pilots honored. ``I think it's a beautiful thing that the city of Lancaster does,'' said state Sen. W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale, about the monuments. ``It is something that will continue to grow and something people will come to Lancaster to see as a tourist attraction Noun 1. tourist attraction - a characteristic that attracts tourists attractive feature, magnet, attractor, attracter, attraction - a characteristic that provides pleasure and attracts; "flowers are an attractor for bees" .'' Stafford is a former astronaut who flew in both the Gemini and Apollo programs and later became Edwards Air Force Base commander. Ferry, the first helicopter pilot honored at the walk, flew the Air Force's ``tilt-rotor'' prototype and set a record by flying a Hughes OH-6A helicopter solo, nonstop and unrefueled across the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Manke flew NASA's tubby, wingless lifting-body research aircraft, and was involved with the F-8 digital fly-by-wire, X-15, AFTI AFTI Advanced Fighter Technology Integration AFTI Associazione Farmaceutici Ticinese AFTI Adjusted Federal Taxable Income AFTI Angel Flight Theatre Instructions (acting school; West Covina, CA) F-111 and X-29 programs. Dyson tested the top-secret stealth prototypes, Have Blue and Tacit Blue. He was presented the Iven C. Kincheloe Award The Iven C. Kincheloe Award recognizes outstanding professional accomplishment in the conduct of flight testing. It was established in 1958 by the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and honors the memory of test pilot and Korean War ace Iven C. from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots The Society of Experimental Test Pilots is an international organization that seeks to promote air safety and contributes to aeronautical advancement by promoting sound aeronautical design and development; interchanging ideas, thoughts and suggestions of the members, assisting in in 1989 after Have Blue was declassified de·clas·si·fy tr.v. de·clas·si·fied, de·clas·si·fy·ing, de·clas·si·fies To remove official security classification from (a document). de·clas and again in 1996 when Tacit Blue was declassified. ``It certainly has been some sort of career,'' said Dyson, a 26-year resident of the Antelope Valley. ``It's so special to be here and receive this honor from my city.'' Cotton flew the XB-70, a giant 2,000 mph aircraft that started as a prototype for a high-speed bomber but ended up as a research aircraft. ``It's a great privilege every time we come back to Lancaster,'' Cotton said. ``The desert represents freedom.'' Cotton used four words to sum up his feelings about being inducted to the Aerospace Walk of Honor: ``Gratitude, pride and surprise.'' The week of commemorations will continue Tuesday with retired Gen. Chuck Yeager re-enacting his first supersonic flight in 1947 at Edwards. It will end Saturday and Sunday with a special two-day Edwards air show, featuring the Air Force's Thunderbirds precision flight team both days. Other events will include ``The Men of Mach One'' symposium at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center A performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is a multi-use performance space that can be adapted for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. , 750 W. Lancaster Blvd. Tickets are $30. All proceeds go to support the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum at Edwards. On Friday, the annual ``Gathering of Eagles'' benefit will be held at 6 p.m. at the Essex House Convention Center, 858 W. Jackman Ave. Tickets are $100. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1--Color) An F-117 stealth fighter flies Sunday over Lancaster Boulevard, as five monuments were added to the Aerospace Walk of Honor. (2--Color) Jesse Jacobs Jr., a 1996 honoree, stands along the Aerospace Walk of Honor. John McCoy/Daily News |
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