Tag Archives: test pilot

USAFA Class of 2020 Chooses Bob Hoover as Exemplar

For the past few years each class at the US Air Force Academy has chosen an “exemplar,” a program USAFA describes as an opportunity for the class to

honor and identify with a past military giant, alive or dead.

This year, the USAFA Class of 2020 chose Bob Hoover.

Among other stories,

1st Lt. Robert Hoover, a former Army Air Corps, Air Force and civilian test pilot…of Nashville, Tennessee, was taken captive by the Germans after being shot-down by the Luftwaffe over France during World War II. He spent 16 months in Stalag Luft I, a German POW camp, before sneaking into a German FW-190 aircraft and flying to Holland. It was his fourth attempt to escape the prison.

Though officially Read more

Christian Test Pilot Commands Space Station

Astronaut and US Army Col Doug Wheelock has become the first US Army commander of the International Space Station.  Wheelock is a former Army test pilot, and he is also a Christian.

“The most important thing is to put your faith and trust in God and to keep your life in the center of His will,” Wheelock said. “When you do that, everything else tends to work out.”

He previously spoke to students at Oklahoma Christian University from space.

USAFA Grads, Fighter Pilots, Christians Pilot Space Shuttle

The Air Force was proud to point out that Colonel Terry Virts Jr, a 1989 graduate of the US Air Force Academy, was the pilot for the Endeavor STS-130 shuttle mission (originally scheduled for February 7th, weather delayed to the 8th).  The announcement allowed the Air Force to highlight an awesome opportunity for Airmen that may motivate them to follow in Virts’ footsteps.  Embry Riddle did the same thing, as Virts is an alumnus, allowing Embry Riddle to highlight the success of its graduates and motivate others to attend its courses.  Notably, Virts was also a fighter pilot and test pilot.

He is also a Christian:  Read more

Lt. Col. Jonathan C. Dowty

LtCol Jonathan C. Dowty is an Air Force veteran and highly experienced fighter pilot, test pilot, and flight instructor. Dowty is a distinguished graduate of the US Air Force Academy and flew the F-16 in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, including night combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Dowty was subsequently selected to attend the US Air Force Test Pilot School where he graduated as the second ranked pilot in academics. He then flew flight test and test support missions for various Air Force, contract, and international test programs covering all aspects of developmental test, including structures, stability and control, avionics and systems integration, weapons, and other areas.

Among other acquisition program management and leadership positions, Dowty has served as the Chief F-16 instructor pilot and stability and control subject matter expert at the USAF Test Pilot School, where he also helped develop the school’s first-ever graduate-level accredited curriculum. He was later chosen to lead Flight Test Safety operations for the Air Force’s largest test range, overseeing the safe and efficient execution of nearly 100,000 air operations a year.

Dowty is an experienced instructor and author, having taught graduate level education and been published in both technical and non-technical fields. He holds a Masters of Science in Flight Test Engineering and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science.

LtCol Dowty is a command pilot with more than 2,000 flight hours in more than 35 different aircraft.

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