Approach and Landing Tests
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The Approach and Landing Tests were a series of sixteen taxi and flight trials of the prototype Space Shuttle Enterprise that took place between February and October 1977 to test the vehicle's flight characteristics. Of the sixteen taxi-tests and flights, eleven saw Enterprise remain mated to the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), while the final five had the shuttle jettisoned from the SCA, with the on-board crew flying and landing the spacecraft.
Enterprise separates from the SCA on its first solo flight as part of ALT, August 12, 1977
(L-R) C. Gordon Fullerton, Fred Haise, Joe Engle and Richard Truly
Crew 1 - Haise and Fullerton
Crew 2 - Engle and Truly
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
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The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) are two retired extensively modified Boeing 747 airliners that NASA used to transport Space Shuttle orbiters. One (N905NA) is a 747-100 model, while the other (N911NA) is a short-range 747-100SR.
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft N905NA, still in American Airlines livery, with Enterprise in 1978
Atlantis atop Shuttle Carrier Aircraft N905NA after being repainted with NASA livery in 1998
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft N911NA, shortly after purchase, with newly built shuttle Endeavour in 1991.