S
spacefire
Guest
Well, the first astronauts were all pilots. getting their astronaut wings meant they were pilots who had flown in space. In any case still pilots!<br />Now we have people that are not pilots, or not even employed by a government agency, going in space. <br />The FAA grants pilot licenses, A&P ceriticates...things which show what one is QUALIFIED to do. A space tourist is not qualified to go in space, he just pays for a ride. He/she should not get the so called 'astronaut wings'.<br />In fact, astronaut wings should be reserved, IMO , for NASA or military people who pilot a vehicle in space, possibly for its crew members, but in a different format (like pilot wings, observer wings and so on in the services.)<br />Mike Melvill himself should not have gotten astronaut wings from the FAA. First of all, he was not rated by the FAA to fly in space. He didn't obtain a 'space pilot's license'There is no such rating yet. <br />Second, he was not a member of NASA or the military, which IMO are the only services who can grant wings to be recognized outside of the service as well-as opposed to airlines who put wings on their piltos and flight attendants too, but are recognized only internally.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>http://asteroid-invasion.blogspot.com</p><p>http://www.solvengineer.com/asteroid-invasion.html </p><p> </p> </div>