Fitzhugh L. Fulton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fitzhugh L. Fulton, Jr.
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Fitz Fulton by Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
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| Nickname(s) | Fitz |
| Born | June 6, 1925 Blakely, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | February 4, 2015 (aged 89) Thousand Oaks, California, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1943–1966 (23 years) |
| Rank |  Lt. Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Cold War Korean War |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross (3 OLC) Air Medal (4 OLC) Iven C. Kincheloe Award Harmon Trophy NASA Exceptional Service Medal (2) National Aviation Hall of Fame Aerospace Walk of Honor |
| Other work | Civilian Research Pilot |
Fitzhugh L. "Fitz" Fulton, Jr. (June 6, 1925 – February 4, 2015) was an amazing American pilot. He was a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Air Force. After serving for 23 years, he became a civilian research pilot for NASA. He worked at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Fitz Fulton was known for flying many different types of aircraft. He helped test new planes and even the Space Shuttle.
Contents
Fitz Fulton's Life and Flying Career
Early Life and School
Fitzhugh L. Fulton, Jr. was born on June 6, 1925. His hometown was Blakely, Georgia. He went to several universities. These included Auburn University and the University of Oklahoma. He earned a degree from Golden Gate University.
Air Force Service
Fitz Fulton joined the U.S. Air Force. He became a skilled pilot.
Flying During Wartime
During the Berlin Airlift, he flew 225 missions. He used C-54 planes to deliver supplies to Berlin. Later, he flew 55 combat missions. These were in a B-26 Invader plane. He flew over North Korea during the Korean War. For his brave service, he received important awards. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. He also received five Air Medals.
Becoming a Test Pilot
In 1952, Fulton finished the Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School. This made him a special test pilot. He helped test many new aircraft. He even received the 1962 Harmon International Aviation Trophy. This award was for his important work.
He was also the Air Force pilot for the B-52 launch aircraft. This plane carried and launched research aircraft. One famous plane he launched was the X-15.
Flying Supersonic Jets
Fulton flew the XB-70 prototype bomber. This plane could fly extremely fast. It reached speeds over Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound). He also flew the YF-12A and YF-12C. These planes flew over 2,000 miles per hour. They also reached altitudes above 70,000 feet. This high-speed flying helped gather data. This data was used to design future aircraft.
In 1966, Fitz Fulton retired from the Air Force. He had served for 23 years.
NASA Test Pilot
After leaving the Air Force, Fulton became a test pilot for NASA. He continued his amazing work.
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
Fulton was a key pilot for the Boeing 747 Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). This special 747 airplane carried the Space Shuttle prototype Enterprise. He flew the SCA during the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) in 1977. The SCA would carry the Shuttle up to 25,000 feet. Then, the Shuttle would separate and glide down to land. This was a crucial step in preparing the Space Shuttle for space.
For his work on the ALT program, Fulton received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. He received it again in 1983. This was for flying the SCA during the Space Shuttle's tour in Europe. He also flew the SCA for ferry missions. These missions brought Orbiters back to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Other Research Flights
At NASA, Fulton was also a project pilot for other launch aircraft. These included the B-29, B-50, and B-52 bombers. These planes launched many research aircraft. Some famous ones were the X-1, X-2, X-15s, and X-24 rocket planes. He also flew a modified C-140 JetStar for a special research program.
Controlled Impact Demonstration
In 1984, Fulton was the project pilot for a unique test. It was called the Controlled Impact Demonstration. He remotely flew an unpiloted Boeing 720 plane. It crashed into a specific spot on a dry lake. This test helped study how jet fuel reacted in a crash. It was important for making air travel safer.
By the time he retired from NASA in 1986, Fulton had flown over 16,000 hours. He had flown 235 different types of aircraft! He was recognized as a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. In 1977, he received the Society's Iven C. Kincheloe Award. This award honored him as Test Pilot of the Year for his ALT work.
Scaled Composites
After leaving NASA, Fulton joined Burt Rutan's company, Scaled Composites. He became their Flight Operations Director and Chief Research Pilot. He flew the first flights of new aircraft designs there. These included the Advanced Technology Tactical Transport and the Scaled Composites Triumph jet.
Personal Life
Fitz Fulton was married to Erma Fulton. They had three children together. He passed away on February 4, 2015. He was 89 years old and had Parkinson's disease.
Awards and Honors
Fitz Fulton received many awards for his incredible career:
- Aerospace Walk of Honor (1991)
- Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School "Distinguished Alumnus"
- Distinguished Flying Cross (four awards)
- Air Medals (five awards)
- Harmon International Aviation Trophy (1962)
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal (two awards)
- Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame (1995)
- National Aviation Hall of Fame (1999)
- SETP Iven C. Kincheloe Award (1977)
- Philip J. Klass Award for Lifetime Achievement (2003)
- International Air & Space Hall of Fame inductee (2014)
