rhajaramjet you are very much mistaken old chap
The Spanish event had nothing whatsoever to do with altitude and the issue has long since been resolved. Please be very clear about that.
I suggested DA2 as a possibility because id does have an EPS (Emergency Power System). The EPS is commisioned for the high risk trials where there might have been a risk of departure before the FCS was robustly tested. I might add that at no time did any engine anomally occur and furthermore the FCS also behaved perfectly. The EPS is a hydrazine powered thingy which is tripped into life but a number of independant signals - angle of attack, yaw rate, engine RPM and the spin chute being deployed. The latter much to my embarassment (oops!). The spin chute gantry too was only fitted for the early/initial high alpha test points.
So now all we need to do is get Mr Branson to buy the jet when it gets retired in the not too distant future. He can, paint the tail red, plaster the VS logo all over it, get himself checked out and he might get another record in the book.... hmmm note to self, must write a letter
Tarnished