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David Mackay | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Status | Active |
| Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
| Space career | |
| Commercial astronaut SpaceShipTwopilot  | |
Current occupation | Chiefpilot atVirgin Galactic |
Time in space | ~35m |
| Missions | |
Mission insignia |  |
David William Donald MackayAFC (born 1957) is the Chief Pilot ofVirgin Galactic, acommercial astronaut and a former RAFtest pilot. He is the first native-bornScot to visit space.[1]
David Mackay was born in Scotland, and lived inHelmsdale,Highland.[2] David's father was a police officer. He would see aircraft flying (low) fromRAF Lossiemouth.[citation needed]
David studied Aeronautical Engineering at theUniversity of Glasgow.[3][failed verification] He first piloted an aircraft in 1977.[citation needed]
He joined the RAF in 1979. He flew theHarrier GR3 inGermany and the Falklands.[citation needed]
In 1986 he was selected for test pilot training. In 1988 he graduated from the French test pilots' school,École du personnel navigant d'essais et de réception - EPNER, through an exchange with the RAF'sEmpire Test Pilots' School. He became Commanding Officer of the RAF'sFast Jet Test Flight in 1992 atRAF Boscombe Down. The fastest speed he reached was Mach 1.4 in a French Mirage. He conducted trials on theHarrier GR7, theSea Harrier FA.2, and theTucano. He flew with theFixed Wing Test Squadron. He was awarded theAir Force Cross in 1992.[4]
He joined Virgin Atlantic in 1995, flying Boeing 747s as a Captain from 1999; he also flew theAirbus A340 from 2002. He finished his flying career with over 11,000 hours flying.[citation needed]
He joined Virgin Galactic in 2009, and is now the Chief Pilot. The suborbital spacecraft,SpaceShipTwo (SS2), will reach a height of 360,000 feet. On its journey into space, the SS2 spacecraft will reach Mach 3.5. The first SS2 spacecraft to fly, of which he was one of the pilots, was theVSS Enterprise; the second SS2 spacecraft is calledVSS Unity. On 22 February 2019 Mackay became the 569th person, and firstScot, to visit space. He piloted theVSSUnity VF-01 flight above 50 mi (80 km), qualifying him as anFAAcommercial astronaut. He has since piloted theUnity 21 andUnity 22 flights, also above 50 mi (80 km).[citation needed]
Parent company:Virgin Group | |
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