My uncle-in-law (for lack of a better term), Luama Mays, was one of the guys who taught Armstrong how to fly helicopters in advance of Armstrong's lander testing. I think it was in a Bell 47.
-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
Impressive resume!
I have met him a couple of times - he is a cool dude. He lives near KCVG if you're ever out that way..
I couldn’t find anything with recorded internal/external comm audio. Would love to hear just what he was yelling at that “contrary machine” before he shelled out.
One of our former base mechanics went to work as a mech for that group. Sounded like as good a deal for the mechanics as it did for the pilots.
Maybe because, like helos, you can't eject in space.
If something goes wrong, you're riding it all the way to the ground.
Yeah… zero chance that NASA puts a guy with a couple hundred hours TT at the controls of their multi-billion dollar vehicle.
NASA astronauts often spend years waiting for an assignment and since he is a relatively recent selectee he could have another 3-5 years before he gets a slot on a space flight based on recent history. As a result astronauts seem to often get assigned to do other things in NASA or NASA-related billets.
I get the sense that this was a combination of wanting to fill in some of his time, getting him good training to be able to be a better astronaut and a little bit of a good deal.
I don't think there's any intent to actually make him a spacecraft pilot. NASA's been making use of doctor-astronauts for decades, and the astronaut corps in general does a lot more than just get ready for their next flight. If they're awaiting a flight assignment, NASA finds something for them to do (or they find themselves something to do) that dovetails with their training and background. The MDs often get involved with designing on-orbit medical tests or experiments, or help conduct them from the ground, or train the other astronauts in medical procedures, for example. The Air Force has "pilot-physicians" and probably an AF astronaut brought the idea into the program. In this case, I would speculate that there was a need or vacancy for a pilot-qualified MD within the office and he put his hand up.
(not to say it's out of a sense of team spirit alone...often they volunteer for assignments they think might also make them more competitive for an upcoming crew assignment)
I've been reading Homesteading Space, about the Skylab program, co-written by Joe Kerwin, and there was a lot of interesting detail about how the astronauts spend their time between or before their flights.
(not to say it's out of a sense of team spirit alone...often they volunteer for assignments they think might also make them more competitive for an upcoming crew assignment)
I've been reading Homesteading Space, about the Skylab program, co-written by Joe Kerwin, and there was a lot of interesting detail about how the astronauts spend their time between or before their flights.
Don't know how it works now, but when I was at JSC in the mid 90s, the astronauts mostly were assigned missions 3 to 4 years out. They were in different stages of planning and training, mostly for ISS build missions. No time for side projects. But I assume things are very different now. and yes the T-38 work was to get the non rated military and the civilians comfortable with the way a military cockpit worked, and as a personnel ride to other NASA facilities and other PR engagements.
Everything about that medal rack, warfare insignia placement, and those staff corps insignia just makes my brain hurt. Yes, he's wearing it all correctly, I know. It's just, well . . . not in the same ZIP code as "usual."
It's definitely got a Miami zip code thing going on.
If people didn’t know better they’d accuse him of stolen valor…or at least stealing from the NEX to impress girls.