Spaceship co-pilot was experienced test pilot

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-EXCITE

By BRIAN MELLEY

MOJAVE, Calif. (AP) — The pilot killed in a test flight of Virgin Galactic's prototype space tourism rocket was as capable behind the controls of experimental aircraft as he was tackling technical challenges in the offices where the vehicle was designed.

He was also known as a devoted husband and father of two young children.

Michael Alsbury, 39, was "a respected and devoted colleague," according to a statement Saturday from Scaled Composites, the company developing the spaceship for Virgin Galactic. Alsbury was co-pilot of the ill-fated test of SpaceShipTwo. His body was in wreckage found in the Mojave Desert.

"Without mincing words or really embellishing anything ... I consider Mike Alsbury the renaissance man," said Brian Binnie, another test pilot who worked at Scaled Composites for 14 years before leaving the company in February. "He could do it all. He was an engineer. He was a pilot. He worked well with others. He had a great sense of humor. I never heard him raise his voice or lose his cool."

FULL story at link.



In this undated photo released Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014, by Scaled Composites, shows Peter Siebold, the Director of Flight Operations at Scaled Composites. Siebold was piloting SpaceShipTwo on Friday, Oct. 31, 2014, when it exploded in flight. The surviving pilot was identified as Siebold, 43. Siebold was to undergo surgery, on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014, but there were no other details on his condition, Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said. Siebold also is a veteran of Scaled's spaceship test program. (AP Photo/Scaled Composites)


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141102/us-space-tourism-co-pilot-96b4c48c0f.html

[enlightenment]

1. Most test pilots are very experienced.

Experience doesn't always matter, unfortunately. From accounts, this aircraft suffered a catastrophic failure. Siebold was lucky; Alsbury wasn't.

Very, very sad. Being on the cutting edge of any new technology carries tremendous risks for the anticipated rewards. These guys knew this every time they suited up.

[Plucketeer]

2. And for the detractors who moan about this project being unnecessary

There was the EXACT same sentiments when the Wright brothers were demonstrating their experimental craft during the dawn of the 20th century. There was even a fatality (of a passenger) on a demonstration flight.