Author Topic: Skylab crew positions  (Read 2456 times)

Offline Ben E

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Skylab crew positions
« on: 03/08/2009 09:14 pm »
I've just spotted an interesting picture of the Skylab 3 crew in training, with Owen Garriott in the centre seat of the command module, and it raised a query in my mind.

I was always under the impression that the centre seat in an Apollo was occupied by the CMP (in other words, the mission's second-in-command). Although there wasn't a CMP assigned on Skylab crews, I had always assumed that the PLT (Weitz, Lousma, Pogue) was second-in-command and fulfilled CMP duties on Skylab crews, with the Science PLT equivalent to the junior LMP. Why, therefore, did the Skylab PLTs sit in the right-hand seat and not the centre seat?

Or did it not make any difference where they sat?

Offline Jim

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Re: Skylab crew positions
« Reply #1 on: 03/08/2009 10:55 pm »
You did that assume thing

Offline Ben E

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Re: Skylab crew positions
« Reply #2 on: 03/09/2009 08:06 am »
Point taken. One of these days, I'll learn!

Offline madscientist197

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Re: Skylab crew positions
« Reply #3 on: 03/11/2009 08:16 am »
In Collin's book he mentioned that Buzz took the centre seat during launch because he had originally trained as a CMP and already was prepared for that role. They swapped back later before docking/transposition. I'm pretty sure the position did matter -- there's no way that Apollo would have duplicated that many controls.
John

Offline Skylon

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Re: Skylab crew positions
« Reply #4 on: 03/13/2009 06:39 pm »
You did that assume thing

That really doesn't answer a legitimate question.

I'm very surprised that on the Skylab flights, the Science Pilot flew center seat. Especially as the PLT was a far more experienced pilot than the Science Pilot. Could this have just been some cross-training?

I remember reading in "Deke!" that there was some discussion of flying two science-pilots per mission, which would have necessitated the Science Pilot flying center-seat, but Slayton didn't think they were ready for that, and wanted to stick with a CDR and PLT to keep experienced trouble shooters, namely professional pilots, aboard.

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