A Vought F-8A Crusader was selected by NASA as the testbed aircraft to install an experimental Supercritical Wing (SCW) in place of the conventional wing. With the new wing, the F-8 landed at a high speed of 200 miles per hour. it was necessary to land the craft directly on Rogers Dry Lake. The 15,000-foot concrete runway at Edwards was used for most takeoffs but was too short to accommodate landings.