Instructor Bill Ruffin

Welcome to

Apollo Training Team . Com

50th Anniversary Edition

ApolloTrainingTeam.Com

a space history website

Hugh W. McNeese

Supervisor & Team

Leader

The Apollo Training Program was designed to provide an integrated training program for the flight crew, controllers, launch operations, and NASA and contractor engineering personnel.

The same Apollo Engineering Instructors provided the training programs to each group of students. This resulted in total continuity of spacecraft systems information being presented throughout the program. The instructor engineers were among the most knowledgeable personnel on the Apollo Spacecraft systems functions and operation. Their ability to communicate this knowledge to others was second to none. As part of their preparation for subsequent flights, they monitored each flight from launch, Mission

Control Operations, and the actual flights through splashdown and recovery via audio and closed-circuit television.The differences between each spacecraft system, system operations and procedures were tabulated and presented to those personnel assigned to that flight.

There were no gaps in information, no dated information, nor any misinformation presented in this training program.

It should be noted that the F.A.A. requested that they be permitted to use Apollo Training's testing procedures and evaluation in their program. Permission was given of course.

7. Actual hardware used in demonstrations

8."Dry Run" (practice) presentations

Note: Apollo Training introduced the "dry run" to the entire Apollo program. Others gradually adopted it until it became a common practice

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This is a private and independent website, and as such, was prepared with the consent of participating team members only who provided personal data to proudly support Internet publication of their participation in the Apollo Missions

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Prior to joining North American Aviation, Bill was employed by Hughes Aircraft Company as a Field Engineering Representative to the Air Force Armament Center. He provided maintenance assistance to USAF technicians on the MG-10 weapons control system in the F-102 Fighter/Interceptor during the final acceptance trials of the weapons control system and air-to-air missiles. He also was assigned to provide instruction and maintenance assistance on the MA-1 weapons control system in the F-106 Fighter/Interceptor to USAF personnel at George Air Force Base.

At North American, Bill was initially assigned to prepare and present training on the Apollo Stabilization and Control System to the NASA Astronauts, Flight Controllers and engineering personnel. Bill, also, prepared and presented courses on the Spacecraft Instrumentation Test Equipment to engineering and technical personnel of Grumman Aircraft at Bethpage, NY. He was later assigned to conduct training on the Apollo Guidance, Navigation and Control System to the NASA Astronauts, Flight Controllers and engineering personnel.

Instructor William "Bill" Ruffin

Guidance and Control

Systems

Apollo program commendations & Awards:

Apollo Achievement Award from the NASA

Astronaut Personal Achievement Award (Snoopy Pin)

Outstanding Performance Award for presenting
1000 hours of classroom Apollo instruction award
( presented by astronaut Dave Scott.)

Biography