Edwards AFB in Kern County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft

Photographed by Denise Boose, August 8, 2018

1. F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft Marker

Inscription.
This research aircraft was the first airplane to fly using a digital fly-by-wire electronics flight-control system with no mechanical backup system. The initial system utilized components from the Apollo spacecraft guidance and control system.

Digital fly-by-wire flight-control systems are now being incorporated into the designs of the most modern commercial transport airplanes, and are routinely used on nearly all new military aircraft.

First Flight: May 25, 1972 Pilot: Gary E. Krier

Erected by NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical date for this entry is May 25, 1972.

Location. 34° 57.129′ N, 117° 53.309′ W. Marker is in Edwards AFB, California, in Kern County. It is at the intersection of Lilly Avenue and Walker Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Lilly Avenue. Edwards AFB is not open to the public. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4800 Lilly Avenue, Edwards CA 93523, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Joaquin Valley,

specifically in the Central Valley,

in the Mojave Desert,

and in the Sierra Nevada.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: F-8 DFBW (here, next to this marker); F-8 Supercritical Wing Aircraft (a few steps from this marker); X-29 (a few steps from this marker); Lockheed F-104

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(within shouting distance of this marker); Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird (within shouting distance of this marker); NF-15B (within shouting distance of this marker); HiMAT (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); HL-10 Lifting Body (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Edwards AFB.

More about this marker. Located in front of the Armstrong Flight Research Center Visitors Control Building at Edwards Air Force Base.
The base is closed to the general public.

Also see . . . F-8 DFBW with test pilot Gary E. Krier. Internet Archive website entry (Submitted on October 22, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed by Denise Boose, August 8, 2018

2. F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft Marker

F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, August 8, 2018

3. F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft

This is the nearby marker "F-8 DFWB"

courtesy NASA

4. F-8 Digital Fly-By-Wire Aircraft

F-8 Test Pilot Gary E. Krier image. Click for full size.

courtesy NASA

5. F-8 Test Pilot Gary E. Krier

Credits. This page was last revised on May 19, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 11, 2018, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 630 times since then and 33 times this year. Last updated on January 6, 2019, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 11, 2018, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.