Summary

The fixed-base simulator at North American was hardly a fancy affair, just a mocked-up cockpit with a full set of instruments and a television screen. The original cadre of pilots, including Joseph A. Walker, spent a considerable amount of time in the North American simulator before the one at the Flight Research Center was ready. Although crude by today's standards, the X-15 pioneered the use of simulators not just to train pilots, but also to engineer the aircraft, plan the missions, and understand the results. Not surprisingly, given the involvement of Charlie Feltz, Harrison Storms, and Walt Williams in both the X-15 and Apollo programs, the X-15 pointed the way to how America would conduct its space missions. (NASA)

SRC http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/aero_x15_detail.html

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