Who has met who concerning Astronauts

[Don Plumley]

I used to work for the brother of Deke Slayton; When Dick heard I had an aerobatics lesson in a Pitts, he took me to the local strip and let me fly his Archer.

I spent time with and did some consulting work for Franklin Chang-Diaz. His life story is amazing. He told me a bit about what it was like to do EVA/Spacewalks (your feet get cold strapped to the remote arm). The most compelling thing he told me about being in space and looking down at the earth is that he felt he was the wrong person to be there. He said that poets, artists, writers should be there, that they had the ability to absorb the absolute wonder of it and share that experience with the world. I still get choked up typing that.

[Wilhelm]

From Joeaksa: "PS you really do not want to meet Yeager. He is a JERK and no one in the aviation community really likes him. Its all about $$ to him and if you do not worship the ground he walks on he will not give you the time of day. On the other hand Gen. Bob Contreras, the man who flew the B-29 who dropped Yeager is a wonderful and friendly guy. He just came over to Phoenix and spent some time with us. Also Scotty Crossfield is the same, just down to earth nice guy..."

A guy I used to work with met Chuck Yeager a few times...and had the same opinion about Yeager. My friend said Yeager was a real jerk. Also, didnt Scott Crossfield die in a general aviation accident 4 or 5 years ago ? Down in the Southern US somewhere like Georgia or Alabama ? Flew into a thunderstorm I believe.

[Hard-Deck]

When I was in the USMC, Charles Bolden was our Wing Commander, his Son was in my squadron. I also have a signed hardback by Chuck Yeager. I applied for astronaut; wasn't selected....I hold you responsible Seahawk

[Joeaksa]

Wilhelm,

Scotty was killed in the crash of his Cessna C-210. It came apart in the air in a thunderstorm. He was for once "in the wrong place at the wrong time" but at least he died doing something he loved.

Joe A

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Snapper33

I applied for astronaut; wasn't selected....I hold you responsible Seahawk

I only ran the board, I didn't make the selections! And the Navy board was just a precursor to the NASA selection board. We selected applicants based on NASA criteria and always proposed multiple candidates for the specific scientific disciplines they wanted based on future missions.

The applicants, especially the mission systems folks, were eye-watering.

It was always difficult to tell these people that, while their expertise and experience in their field of study was incredible, NASA was not interested in xxxx type of scientist for this selection board. Please apply again in a year.

It was the first the most of them had failed to select for anything. I had lots of hour long phone calls trying to explain they hadn't done anything wrong...

[Hard-Deck]

Quote de Snapper33

I applied for astronaut; wasn't selected....I hold you responsible Seahawk

I only ran the board, I didn't make the selections! ...

Ok, you're off the hook Brother.

[rouxroux]

Met many as a youngster when they flew into HSV to go to the Marshall Space Flight Center back in the 60's. They werre usually flying commercial rather than landing at the Redstone Arsenal strip. But I saw von Braun more than the astronauts. Usually flying to D.C. or Fla. on Saturdays, taught me how to fold a paper Rogallo wing and would toss Frisbee with me.

[Wilhelm]

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Wilhelm,

Scotty was killed in the crash of his Cessna C-210. It came apart in the air in a thunderstorm. He was for once "in the wrong place at the wrong time" but at least he died doing something he loved.

Joe A

Roger that . Thanks for the info.