As an astronaut for Virgin Galactic, Mike Masucci flies one of the most unique aircraft ever built, but at the end of the day he says his job is to be a great glider pilot. In this fascinating episode, he takes us inside the spaceship to describe what it’s like to see Earth from above, what it sounds like in space, and how he guides the aircraft back to a safe landing. Mike also spent many years flying the U-2 in the Air Force and the Citation X for a fractional provider, and he shares lessons learned from both jobs. In the Ready to Copy segment, Mike talks about test pilot school, staying awake on long flights, and tips for flight instructors.

SHOW LINKS:

* Virgin Galactic: https://www.virgingalactic.com/

* Tim Decker episode: https://www.sportys.com/blog/episode-56-fuel-management-and-flying-the-u-2-with-tim-decker/

* Pilot’s Tip of the Week: https://pilotworkshop.com/tip