Alvin S. White

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Alvin S. White
1958 MISS Group
MissionsNone

Alvin Swauger White (December 9, 1918 – April 29, 2006) was an American

XB-70 Valkyrie aircraft, the first 2,000 mph (3,200 km/h) flight, and all subsequent Mach 3 exploration flights.[1]

Biography

Born on December 9, 1918, to Harold H. White Sr. (1888–1974) and Ruth A. Winkleman (1894–1975) in

355th Fighter Group from D-Day through V-E Day.[2]

After the war, White completed his

the mid-air collision that destroyed the XB-70 #2 prototype and killed his co-pilot, Major Carl Cross, USAF, and noted aviator Joe Walker.[2] White ejected from the XB-70, sustaining serious injuries, including one arm being crushed as it was caught in the clamshell-like escape capsule as it closed around him just before ejection from the aircraft.[3]

F-104 Starfighter
, seen in flames

Later in 1966, White joined Trans World Airlines (TWA) as manager of flight operations, research and development.[2] In 1969, he became a consultant in the field of aviation and aeronautics, working primarily as an expert witness in accident investigation litigation, requiring simulation of accident flight conditions in a comparable aircraft.[2]

After 8,500 hours of flying time in over 125 different aircraft, he retired from the ranks of active pilots and settled in Tucson, Arizona. He died in Arizona in 2006.[2]

Honors

White's military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters.[1] A past President[4] and founding member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), White earned some of the top awards for his profession, including the Iven C. Kincheloe Award,[5][6] the Octave Chanute Award,[7] and the Harmon Trophy,[8] which was presented by President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1994, he was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.[1][9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "1994 Honorees". Aerospace Walk of Honor. City of Lancaster, California. July 13, 2006. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Obituary: Alvin S. White, 87; Longtime Test Pilot". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. May 5, 2006. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  3. ISBN 9781840138092
    .
  4. ^ "SETP Presidents". Lancaster, California: The Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  5. ^ "Iven C. Kincheloe Award Recipients". Lancaster, California: Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  6. ^ "Supersonic Test Pilot Gets Award". Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. UPI. September 27, 1965. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Octave Chanute Award, 1965". Reston, Virginia: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  8. ^ "Harmon Trophy Presentation, 1994". Austin, Texas: Lyndon Baines Johnson Library & Museum. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  9. ^ Johnson, Chip (September 19, 1994). "Aerospace Walk of Honor Inducts 5". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. 53 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

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