▁Hor net s . ▁He ▁also ▁provided ▁leadership ▁for ▁numerous ▁flight ▁research ▁projects ▁including ▁the ▁X - 2 9 ▁forward - s we pt - wing ▁technology ▁demonstr ator ; ▁the ▁Control led ▁Imp act ▁Dem on str ation , ▁the ▁F - 1 5 ▁Digital ▁Electron ic ▁Engine ▁Control ▁project ▁that ▁integrated ▁prop ulsion ▁and ▁flight ▁controls , ▁the ▁Peg as us ▁air - launch ed ▁ro cket ▁for ▁placing ▁small ▁pay loads ▁into ▁low - E arth ▁orbit ; ▁the ▁CV - 9 9 0 ▁Land ing ▁Systems ▁Research ▁aircraft ▁that ▁tested ▁improved ▁bra king ▁systems ▁for ▁the ▁space ▁sh utt le ; ▁and ▁the ▁F - 1 8 ▁High ▁Al pha ▁Research ▁Ve h icle . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁announced ▁the ▁imp ending ▁ret irement ▁of ▁the ▁SR - 7 1 ▁Black bird , ▁Kn ut son ▁successfully ▁sought ▁to ▁ac quire ▁three ▁of ▁the ▁air plan es ▁for ▁D ry den . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Am es ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁chief ▁of ▁flight ▁operations ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁His ▁awards ▁include ▁the ▁Mer itor ious ▁Service ▁Medal ▁and ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross , ▁both ▁from ▁the ▁Air ▁Force , ▁NASA ' s ▁Out standing ▁Le ad ership ▁Award , ▁and ▁the ▁President ial ▁Rank ▁of ▁Mer itor ious ▁Executive . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁Associ ate ▁Fellow ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁of ▁Ex perimental ▁Test ▁Pil ots ▁and ▁a ▁char