Virgin Galactic Astronauts

[JimNtexas]

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.

[snip]

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.

Flight Website

No word on pay or QOL.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Flight Website

No word on pay or QOL.

They better get a union or all they may get in their crew meals is Tang. And letting the Russians operate the only layover hotel is a bad move, imho. Probably defined contribution (401k) from the looks of it. The company gives you one of those space pens and some freeze-dried ice cream after 25 years.

 

[starvingredtail]

This sounds profitable.

 

[Mamma]

Bavarian Pastry Chef,
You keep me in stitches. Thanks for the great posts!

 

[Inspector 12]

I don't know about you, but I sure wish my crewmeals came with some "tang"!

 

[Sailpilot]

Bavarian Pastry Chef,
You keep me in stitches. Thanks for the great posts!

He is one of the funniest Chefs I have seen. Keep up the good work!