DJ pilots forget SYD-LAX, hold out for Galactic!
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SYD
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DJ pilots forget SYD-LAX, hold out for Galactic!
Interesting read ... in particular the last paragraph, from 737 to SpaceShip2
DATE:31/03/06
SOURCE:Flight International
Virgin Galactic to use Virgin Atlantic pilots as astronauts for SpaceShipTwo
UK airline Virgin Atlantic is to use its pool of mainline pilots to recruit from to fill the soon-to-be released vacancies for astronaut-pilots on the Virgin Galactic space tourism craft.
Sir Richard Branson, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic says any of the 700 pilots employed by the air carrier can apply for a nine month training course followed by 18 months of tests and active service with the space carrier.
Three Virgin Atlantic pilots have already been selected. Virgin Galactic intends on starting services from 2008 and will start training the selected candidates by the end of this year.
Branson says: "This is such an exciting and unique opportunity for our pilots, many of whom have a wealth of experience and are fanatical about flying." The majority of Virgin Atlantic pilots are from the UK and Branson added that the scheme presents an opportunity to increase the number of UK astronauts.
The three initial pilots are: former UK Royal Air Force Red Arrows aerobatic display team pilot Steve Johnson who will swap his role as a training captain to become chief astronaut pilot; a further ex-Red Arrow and training captain Alistair Hoy will head up the astronaut training department; and Capt David MacKay, currently a line captain with Virgin Atlantic, will be the test pilot of the SpaceShipTwo variant of the Scaled Composites spacecraft.
The pilots will receive nine months of aerobatic, fast jet and business aircraft in zero-gravity training. From 2008 Virgin Galactic expects to have around 30 astronaut pilots, one-half of whom will be US citizens recruited from NASA and Virgin America with the remaining 50% being recruited from other Virgin airlines around the world such as Virgin Nigeria, Virgin Blue in Australia and Virgin Express in Belgium.
DATE:31/03/06
SOURCE:Flight International
Virgin Galactic to use Virgin Atlantic pilots as astronauts for SpaceShipTwo
UK airline Virgin Atlantic is to use its pool of mainline pilots to recruit from to fill the soon-to-be released vacancies for astronaut-pilots on the Virgin Galactic space tourism craft.
Sir Richard Branson, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic says any of the 700 pilots employed by the air carrier can apply for a nine month training course followed by 18 months of tests and active service with the space carrier.
Three Virgin Atlantic pilots have already been selected. Virgin Galactic intends on starting services from 2008 and will start training the selected candidates by the end of this year.
Branson says: "This is such an exciting and unique opportunity for our pilots, many of whom have a wealth of experience and are fanatical about flying." The majority of Virgin Atlantic pilots are from the UK and Branson added that the scheme presents an opportunity to increase the number of UK astronauts.
The three initial pilots are: former UK Royal Air Force Red Arrows aerobatic display team pilot Steve Johnson who will swap his role as a training captain to become chief astronaut pilot; a further ex-Red Arrow and training captain Alistair Hoy will head up the astronaut training department; and Capt David MacKay, currently a line captain with Virgin Atlantic, will be the test pilot of the SpaceShipTwo variant of the Scaled Composites spacecraft.
The pilots will receive nine months of aerobatic, fast jet and business aircraft in zero-gravity training. From 2008 Virgin Galactic expects to have around 30 astronaut pilots, one-half of whom will be US citizens recruited from NASA and Virgin America with the remaining 50% being recruited from other Virgin airlines around the world such as Virgin Nigeria, Virgin Blue in Australia and Virgin Express in Belgium.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Footlights College, Oxbridge
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Asstronaut pilots from Virgin Niggeria.....???
HAHAHAHAHAH
AAAAHAHAHAAAHA
HAHAHA
HAHAAAAAAA......!!!!!!
Dunno why they call it "Virgin Galactic", anyway.
Blasting to the edge of the atmosphere for a few minutes is hardly a "galactic" voyage.
Still..... should be amusing to see how they choose the hosties for the new venture.
Is there such a thing as a "Test Hostie"??
Former Red Trolleys team member?
Former Cirque du Soleil Plate -Juggler?
Or will it all be decided on IQ........
HAHAHAHAHAH
AAAAHAHAHAAAHA
HAHAHA
HAHAAAAAAA......!!!!!!
Dunno why they call it "Virgin Galactic", anyway.
Blasting to the edge of the atmosphere for a few minutes is hardly a "galactic" voyage.
Still..... should be amusing to see how they choose the hosties for the new venture.
Is there such a thing as a "Test Hostie"??
Former Red Trolleys team member?
Former Cirque du Soleil Plate -Juggler?
Or will it all be decided on IQ........
I hope this works out as well for all of the DJ Gang as Virgin Island did....
Maybe that's where they can hold the launch party when they name the Virgin blue based guys who will be going to Virgin Galactic - before flying them to London super dooper first class on a Virgin Atlantic A380, lounging in the first class spa sipping daquiris the whole way.....
I'll believe it when I see it...
Maybe that's where they can hold the launch party when they name the Virgin blue based guys who will be going to Virgin Galactic - before flying them to London super dooper first class on a Virgin Atlantic A380, lounging in the first class spa sipping daquiris the whole way.....
I'll believe it when I see it...
