By Justin Houchin
January 28, 2004 (Mojave Ca.)
Hello everybody! I just experienced an amazing couple out days out in Mojave as part of the First Teenager in Space project and thought I’d fill everybody in on the happenings. Back in January, I became the youngest person ever to fly a military jet at the National Test pilot School!
Randa Milliron of Interorbital Systems (the company who will be launching me into space) set up two days of pre-astronaut training for me at the prestigious National Test Pilot School (NTPS) out in Mojave. NTPS is the largest civilian test pilot school in the world with pilots in training from all over the globe.
On day one, the morning was occupied watching a training video covering the various controls and the design of the Impala jet trainer, the jet I would be flying in the next day. After that, my family and I were given a full tour of the facility, including an introduction to the various jets and planes, which were housed in the hangars. I was then given a very detailed lesson on the use of the manual operation of the ejection seat (“Ejection Seat Training”). The Impala jets do not have automatic ejection, and had anything gone wrong, I had to be 100% knowledgeable on the numerous ways in which ejection could be accomplished. (This was the only part, which made my mom cringe a bit.) I was then fitted with a flight suit, a G-suit (for withstanding increased g-forces) and a helmet for my flight the next day.
In the afternoon, I was given a three hour, one-on-one, aerodynamics primer from one of top instructors at NTPS, which covered general aeronautics, sub-, trans- and super-sonic flight and then a discussion of the different maneuvers the jet would be making and safety measures. In addition, I was given instruction on G-forces and what to expect and do physically when the jet hit 4-G’s.
At dusk, Boys’ Life photographer, Jim Sugar, did a series of photographs in front of the SAAB “Draken” jet. This jet looks like something out of Star Wars! Jim did some very dramatic “Top Gun” style pictures of me that came out in the May edition of Boy’s Life Magazine.
On day two, when we arrived at the school, KNBC was already there setting up. There was a half-hour pre-flight briefing and then....
I was strapped into the rear seat of the Impala Jet Trainer. The NTPS pilot, Ed Solski, was a 26-year veteran of the Canadian Air Force, so I knew that I was in excellent hands. We lifted off the runway. At take-off it felt like taking off on a ordinary commercial jet liner. “This is not so bad”, I thought to myself. Then we turned and my stomach was pulled toward my feet!
After I became accustomed to the G’s, I had the 45-minute ride of my life! Some of the maneuvers I experienced were steep banks, rolls, loops and a special maneuver nicknamed “The roller coaster”. During the loops and steep banks I experienced up to 4G’s which is the equivalent of having 600 pounds suddenly “sitting on you”. Although I felt some expected nausea and lightheadedness, I came through okay.
Several times, for a few minutes each, I was allowed to take control of the jet. During one of these times I performed a number of “rolls”. NTPS set up video cameras in the cockpit and on the tail of the plane along with sound so we have the complete flight on tape! After the most amazing 45 minutes of my life we landed. From the moment we touched the ground I began to miss being up there. The plane stopped taxiing they opened the cock pit and I began to take the buckles off.
One of the flight crew asked if it was OK to “induct” me after my first flight. Apparently, after any kind of “first” for a pilot, they roll out the fire truck and douse him with a fire hose. So, who was I to say, “no”?
When hopped out of the air plane they let the hose loose and blasted me with water. I was pretty surprised at first, but then welcomed the cold water. I was quite heated up from the flight. KNBC then did interviews for another 45 minutes.
During the flight, Columbia & Atlantis Space Shuttle Astronaut, Rick Searfoss, showed up to lend his support. I not only got to meet Mr. Searfoss, but also afterwards was able to talk to him at length about various space-related topics, including his involvement in the X-prize as one of the judges. What an amazing thing! To be able to sit down and talk with a real astronaut! As a little point of history here, Mr. Searfoss was actually the inspiration for “The First Teenager in Space” concept. It was during a dinner conversation with Mr. Searfoss that Ivor Dawson and Maureen Clemmons came up with the idea. He had been telling them how excited his girls were at the possibility of Lance Bass (from N’sync) going into space, even though their father was an actual astronaut! And that’s where Ivor’s famous quote came from: “If you want to get kids interested in space, put an interesting kid in space.”
After this, the Boys Life photographer, Jim Sugar, was able to get us in for a peek at the Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer, a plane that is designed to fly eighty hours around the world without refueling!
The day concluded with additional photographs out at the Interorbital test site where some very cool dusk shots were taken with me standing inside a large rocket component.
The KNBC story aired about a month later.
Some people believe that there is nothing better in this world then flying. In the span of two days I have been made into a believer.
I’d like to express my THANKS to those who helped contribute to the past two days: including Randa & Roderick Milliron of Interorbital Systems, The National Test Pilot School, Ivor Dawson & Dr. Maureen Clemmons of the Traveling Space Museum, Boys’ Life Magazine, Photographer, Jim Sugar, KNBC-TV (Los Angeles) and Shuttle Astronaut, Rick Searfoss.
“This was the best day of my life.”
Thanks again for those of you who helped make that happen.
Justin Houchin
(Check out Boys’ Life Magazine (May, 2004 Issue)
