Virgin Atlantic pilots given chance to become Virgin Galactic astronaut pilots

Virgin Atlantic pilots are out of this world

Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic today announced an agreement
whereby pilots flying for Virgin Atlantic could become astronaut pilots
of the future.

United Arab Emirates: Thursday, March 30 - 2006 at 15:53 GMT+4

http://www.ameinfo.com/81867.html

Virgin Atlantic pilots will have the opportunity to be seconded to
Virgin Galactic and trained as fully-fledged astronaut pilots flying
space tourists on the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo from 2008/9 onwards.

Any of Virgin Atlantic's 700 pilots can apply for the scheme, which
will involve a 27 month secondment to Virgin Galactic, where they will
receive all the necessary training to make their flying skills out of
this world.

Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic,
said: 'This is such an exciting and unique opportunity for our pilots,
many of whom have a wealth of experience and are fanatical about flying
(as you will see from the first pilots who have been chosen.) At Virgin
Atlantic we have some of the most experienced pilots in the world and
I'm sure that many will be keen to apply for the new scheme.

'Only a handful of Brits have ever gone into space and this gives us
the opportunity to put British pilots at the forefront of space
exploration. I'm also sure our passengers will love the idea that one
day the pilot, on their Boeing or Airbus plane who is flying them
around the world, will soon be flying passengers to space. Other Virgin
airlines will also be included in the scheme.'

Three Virgin Atlantic pilots have already been handpicked on the basis
of their experience and skills. Steve Johnson, currently a training
Captain with Virgin Atlantic and an ex-Red Arrows pilot, will become
the chief astronaut pilot for Virgin Galactic, having overall
responsibility for the pilot astronaut workforce.

Alistair Hoy, also a Virgin Atlantic training captain and an ex-Red
Arrows pilot, will be the chief training astronaut, responsible for
training all of Virgin Galactic's astronaut pilots.

Captain David MacKay, currently a line captain with Virgin Atlantic,
will be Virgin Atlantic's test pilot and is already working with
manufacturer Scaled Composites in the development process of
SpaceShipTwo.

The pilots will receive nine months of aerobatic, fast jet and
executive aircraft for zero gravity flights training. They will then
spend the next nine months flying the mothership and participating in
Mission Control work - the last nine months will be spent flying Virgin
Galactic Spaceships into space. Once they have completed their 27 month
secondment they will return to Virgin Atlantic as qualified pilot
astronauts.

Stephen Attenborough, Head of Astronaut Relations, Virgin Galactic,
commented: 'This is a unique opportunity to build a talented team of
astronaut pilots, who will not only witness the birth of this new area
of space travel, but will be the pioneers of future commercial space
flight and an inspiration to thousands of commercial pilots flying
around the world today.'

Matthew Lee, Director of Flight Operations for Virgin Atlantic,
commented: 'I am delighted that we are able to offer our pilots, who
maintain some of the highest standards of safety and professionalism in
the industry, this fantastic opportunity and I'm sure it will encourage
even more pilots to apply to Virgin Atlantic for years to come.'

Alex Tai, a Virgin Atlantic captain and the Operations Director for
Virgin Galactic, commented: 'As a Virgin Atlantic pilot I know how
exciting and unique this opportunity is for our pilots and how popular
it will be. The pilots who have been selected so far have so much
expertise - from their work with the RAF and display teams, to their
work as commercial airline pilots - but I can guarantee that what they
will experience in the next few years will be a challenge unlike
anything they have experienced before.'

From 2008 Virgin Galactic expects to have around 30 astronaut pilots
recruited from all of the Virgin airlines round the world. 50% of the
astronaut pilots will be recruited from NASA and Virgin America with
the remaining 50% being recruited from other Virgin airlines including
Virgin Atlantic from which three pilots will be seconded.

Virgin Galactic also plans to recruit some of its pilots from Virgin
Nigeria, Virgin Blue and Virgin Express. In December Virgin Atlantic
launched the first frequent flyer programme reward where Flying Club
members could earn miles to get themselves to space.

Virgin Galactic is a company established by Richard Branson's Virgin
Group to undertake the challenge of developing space tourism for
everybody. It will own and operate privately built spaceships, modeled
on the history-making SpaceShipOne craft. These spaceships will allow
affordable sub-orbital space tourism for the first time in our history.
Every customer of Virgin Galactic will be helping the development of a
new generation of space craft.

Virgin's experience in aviation, adventure, luxury travel and
cutting-edge design will be vital in contributing to the design of the
spaceship, the smooth operation of the spaceline and creating an
unforgettable experience unlike any other available to mankind.