List of U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School alumni

The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (TPS) graduated the following notable alumni who made significant contributions to the aerospace field. The school's mission is to produce experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test navigators to lead and conduct test and evaluation of aerospace weapon systems.^[1] The school was established on September 9, 1944, as the Flight Test Training Unit at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Dayton, Ohio.^[2] To take advantage of the uncongested skies and superb flying weather, the school was moved on February 4, 1951, to its present location at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of Southern California.^[2] Edwards AFB is the home of the Air Force Test Center and has been an integral part of flight testing since June 25, 1951.^[3]

USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, California

Between 1962 and 1972, the Test Pilot School expanded its role to include astronaut training for military test pilots.^[4] Thirty-seven TPS graduates of this era were selected for the U.S. space program, and twenty-six went on to earn astronaut's wings by flying in the X-15, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs.^[5] Although the school no longer trains astronauts, many TPS graduates since 1972 have been selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for duties in space. The school encourages applications from civilians, personnel from other U.S. military services, and individuals from foreign countries.^[6] An exchange program allows selected students to attend other test pilot schools including the United States Naval Test Pilot School, the United Kingdom's Empire Test Pilots' School, and France's EPNER.^[7]

Famous alumni

The following graduates of the USAF Test Pilot School are listed in the roles for which they are most notable.^[8] These roles include:

• Astronaut – Alumni who were trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft.
• Flight test – Alumni notable for their work in flight testing including the "Golden Age" of jet flight testing: 1948 to 1968.^[9]
• Military commander – Alumni who achieved notability as the commanding officer of a military unit.
• Author – Alumni who have authored books on flight test.

Key

Service
	RCAF	Royal Canadian Air Force
	USAF	United States Air Force
	USAFR	United States Air Force Reserve
	USN	United States Navy
	USNR	United States Navy Reserve
	USMC	United States Marine Corps
	Civilians	From specified U.S. contractors and government agencies
Rank	Military rank	For individuals who have served in the armed forces. The rank shown is current at the time this list was created and is subject to change.
	"n/a"	For civilians who have not served in the armed forces and therefore do not have military rank.
Class	Year/Letter	The year and order in which a class started. For example, 07A was the first of two classes to start in 2007.[10]
	Roman Numeral	Four Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) classes designated I, II, III, and IV, that prepared students for crewed spaceflight operations. These classes were dropped when the USAF lost its crewed spaceflight mission.[11]
	MOL	Classes to train military astronauts of the Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) program. MOL was cancelled in 1969 before any of the astronauts went into space.[12]
	AFIT	The USAF TPS selects up to eight students per year to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. These individuals attend 15 months of class work and thesis preparation prior to completing the USAF TPS curriculum.[7]
	"n/a"	For faculty who taught at USAF TPS but were never students of the school.

Astronauts

Col. Frank Borman, USAF, first lunar orbit as Apollo 8 commander

Col. Eileen Collins, USAF, first female shuttle pilot, first female shuttle commander

MGen. Michael Collins, USAF, Apollo 11 command module pilot

Capt. Robert Crippen, USN, STS-1 pilot, STS commander

Col. E. Michael Fincke, ISS Commander, Boeing Starliner Pilot and former American with the most time in space

Maj. William "Pete" Knight by modified X-15A-2 after record-setting flight

Maj. Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., USAF, first African-American astronaut

MGen. Robert Rushworth, USAF, X-15 test pilot

Col. David Scott, USAF, Apollo 15 commander, seventh man on the Moon

VADM. Richard H. Truly, USN, NASA administrator, STS commander and pilot

Lt. Col. Ed White, USAF, first U.S. spacewalk

MGen. Bob White, USAF, first to exceed Mach 4, 5 and 6

  *   Individual was killed in a work-related (aviation) accident.

Col. Jack D. Fischer, USAF, flight engineer, Soyuz MS-04 (Expedition 51/52)

Name	Service	Rank	Class	Notable events	Ref
Michael J. Adams*	USAF	O-04Major	1962-0362C, IV, MOL	X-15 Flight 191, 1965 USAF MOL Group	[13]
Thomas Akers	USAF	O-06Colonel	1982-0282B	STS-41, STS-49, STS-61, STS-79	[14]
Dominic A. Antonelli	USN	O-05Commander	1997-0297B	STS-119, STS-132	[15]
Lee Archambault	USAF	O-06Colonel	1994-0294B	STS-117, STS-119	[16]
Charles Bassett*	USAF	O-03Captain	1962-0162A, III	1963 NASA Group 3	[17]
Robert Behnken	USAF	O-06Colonel	1998-0298B	STS-123, STS-130, SpX-DM2	[18]
John E. Blaha	USAF	O-06Colonel	1971-0171A	STS-29, STS-33, STS-43, STS-58, STS-79, Mir-22, STS-81	[19]
Michael J. Bloomfield	USAF	O-06Colonel	1992-0192A	STS-86, STS-97, STS-110	[20]
Karol J. Bobko	USAF	O-06Colonel	1965-0265B, MOL	STS-6, STS-51-D, STS-51-J	[21]
Eric A. Boe	USAF	O-06Colonel	1997-0197A	STS-126, STS-133	[22]
Frank Borman	USAF	O-06Colonel	1960-0360C, I	Gemini 7, Apollo 8	[23]
Ken Bowersox	USN	O-06Captain	1985-0185A	STS-50, STS-61, STS-73, STS-82, STS-113, Expedition 6, Soyuz TMA-1	[24]
Roy D. Bridges Jr.	USAF	O-08Major General	1970-0270B	STS-51-F	[25]
Curtis Brown	USAF	O-06Colonel	1985-0285B	STS-47, STS-66, STS-77, STS-85, STS-95, STS-103	[26]
Duane G. Carey	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	1992-0192A	STS-109	[27]
John Casper	USAF	O-06Colonel	1974-0174A	STS-36, STS-54, STS-62, STS-77	[28]
Kevin P. Chilton	USAF	O-10General	1984-0184A	STS-49, STS-59, STS-76	[29]
Eileen Collins	USAF	O-06Colonel	1989-0289B	STS-63 (first female shuttle pilot), STS-84, STS-93 (first female shuttle commander), STS-114 (Return to Flight after Columbia Disaster)	[30]
Michael Collins	USAFR	O-08Major General	1960-0360C, III	Gemini 10, Apollo 11	[31]
Gordon Cooper	USAF	O-06Colonel	1956-0456D	Mercury 9, Gemini 5	[32]
Richard O. Covey	USAF	O-06Colonel	1974-0274B	STS-51-I, STS-26 (Return to Flight after Challenger Disaster), STS-38, STS-61	[33]
Albert H. Crews	USAF	O-06Colonel	1960-0160A, II, MOL	1962 Dyna-Soar Group, 1965 USAF MOL Group	[34]
Robert Crippen	USN	O-06Captain	1965-0165A, MOL	STS-1, STS-7, STS-41-C, STS-41-G	[35]
Brian Duffy	USAF	O-06Colonel	1982-0282B	STS-57, STS-72, STS-92	[36]
Charles Duke	USAF	O-07Brig. General	1964-0364C	Apollo 16	[37]
James Dutton	USAF	O-06Colonel	2000–0100A	STS-131	[38]
Donn F. Eisele	USAF	O-06Colonel	1962-0162A	Apollo 7	[39]
Joe Engle	USAF	O-06Colonel	1961-0361C, III	X-15 Flight 138, X-15 Flight 143, X-15 Flight 153, ALT, STS-2, STS-51-I	[40]
Michael Fincke	USAF	O-06Colonel	1993-0293B	Soyuz TMA-4 (Expedition 9), Soyuz TMA-13 (Expedition 18), STS-134, Boeing Starliner-1 (Expedition 72/73)	[41]
John L. Finley	USN	O-06Captain	1964-0164A, MOL	1965 USAF MOL Group	[42]
Jack D. Fischer	USAF	O-06Colonel	2003-0203B	Soyuz MS-04 (Expedition 51/52)	[43]
Kevin A. Ford	USAF	O-06Colonel	1990-0190A	STS-128, Soyuz TMA-06M (Expedition 33/34)	[44]
Michael E. Fossum	USAF	O-06Colonel	1985-0185A	STS-121, STS-124, Soyuz TMA-02M (Expedition 28/29)	[45]
Theodore Freeman*	USAF	O-03Captain	1962-0162A, IV	1963 NASA Group	[46]
C. Gordon Fullerton	USAF	O-06Colonel	1964-0264B, MOL	ALT, STS-3, STS-51-F	[47]
Guy Gardner	USAF	O-06Colonel	1975-0175A	STS-27, STS-35, TPS Commandant	[48]
Edward Givens	USAF	O-04Major	1958-0258B, III	1966 NASA Group	[49]
Victor J. Glover	USN	O-06Captain	2006-0206B	SpaceX Crew-1 (Expedition 64/65), Artemis 2	[50]
Ronald J. Grabe	USAF	O-06Colonel	1974-0174A	STS-51-J, STS-30, STS-42, STS-57	[51]
William G. Gregory	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	1987-0187A	STS-67	[52]
Gus Grissom*	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	1956-0456D	Mercury-Redstone 4, Gemini 3, Apollo 1	[53]
Sidney M. Gutierrez	USAF	O-06Colonel	1981-0181A	STS-40, STS-59	[54]
Nick Hague	USAF	O-06Colonel	2003-0103A	Soyuz MS-10, Soyuz MS-12 (Expedition 59/60, SpaceX Crew-9 (Expedition 71/72)	[55]
Fred Haise	NASA	O-00n/a	1964-0164A	Apollo 13, ALT	[56]
James D. Halsell	USAF	O-06Colonel	1986-0186A	STS-65, STS-74, STS-83, STS-94, STS-101	[57]
Henry Hartsfield	USAF	O-06Colonel	1964-0364C, MOL	STS-4, STS-41-D, STS-61-A	[58]
Susan J. Helms	USAF	O-09Lt General	1988-0188A	STS-54, STS-64, STS-78, STS-101, Expedition 2 (STS-102 / STS-105)	[59]
Terence T. Henricks	USAF	O-06Colonel	1983-0183A	STS-44, STS-55, STS-70, STS-78	[60]
Robert T. Hines	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	2007-0207B	SpaceX Crew-4 (Expedition 67/68)	[61]
Michael S. Hopkins	USAF	O-06Colonel	1996-0296B	Soyuz TMA-10M (Expedition 37/38), SpaceX Crew-1 (Expedition 64/65)	[62]
Scott J. Horowitz	USAF	O-06Colonel	1990-0190A	STS-75, STS-82, STS-101, STS-105	[63]
Richard D. Husband*	USAF	O-06Colonel	1988-0188A	STS-96, STS-107 Columbia loss	[64]
James Irwin	USAF	O-06Colonel	1960-0360C, IV	Apollo 15	[65]
Gregory C. Johnson	USNR	O-06Captain	1984-0184A	STS-125	[66]
Gregory H. Johnson	USAF	O-06Colonel	1994-0194A	STS-123 STS-134	[67]
James M. Kelly	USAF	O-06Colonel	1993-0293B	STS-102, STS-114	[68]
Pete Knight	USAF	O-06Colonel	1958-0358C, 63A	X-15 Flight 190, California State Senator	[69][70]
Joshua Kutryk	RCAF	O-05LCol	2011-0211B	Boeing Starliner-1 (Expedition 72/73)	[71][72]
Robert Lawrence*	USAF	O-04Major	1966-0266B, MOL	First African-American astronaut, 1967 USAF MOL Group	[73]
Richard E. Lawyer	USAF	O-06Colonel	1963-0163A, MOL	1965 USAF MOL Group	[74]
Steven W. Lindsey	USAF	O-06Colonel	1989-0189A, AFIT	STS-87, STS-95, STS-104, STS-121 STS-133	[75]
Paul Lockhart	USAF	O-06Colonel	1991-0191A	STS-111, STS-113	[76]
Christopher Loria	USMC	O-06Colonel	1993-0193A	1996 NASA Group	[77]
Lachlan Macleay	USAF	O-06Colonel	1960-0160A, IV, MOL	1965 USAF MOL Group	[78]
Ken Mattingly	USN	O-07Rear Admiral	1965-0265B	Apollo 16, STS-4, STS-51-C	[79]
Jon McBride	USN	O-06Captain	1975-0175A	STS-41-G	[80]
James McDivitt	USAF	O-07Brig. General	1959-0359C, I	Gemini 4, Apollo 9	[81]
Donald R. McMonagle	USAF	O-06Colonel	1981-0181A	STS-39, STS-54, STS-66	[82]
Carl J. Meade	USAF	O-06Colonel	1980-0280B	STS-38, STS-50, STS-64	[83]
Pamela Melroy	USAF	O-06Colonel	1991-0291B	STS-92, STS-112, STS-120	[84]
Edgar Mitchell	USN	O-06Captain	1965-0265B	Apollo 14	[85]
Richard Mullane	USAF	O-06Colonel	1975-0275B	STS-41-D, STS-27, STS-36	[86]
Steven R. Nagel	USAF	O-06Colonel	1975-0175A	STS-51-G, STS-61-A, STS-37, STS-55	[87]
Francis G. Neubeck	USAF	O-06Colonel	1960-0360C, III, MOL	1965 USAF MOL Group	[88]
Ellison Onizuka*	USAF	O-06Colonel	1974-0274B	STS-51-C, STS-51-L Challenger loss	[89]
Robert F. Overmyer	USMC	O-06Colonel	1965-0365C, MOL	STS-5, STS-51-B	[90]
Donald H. Peterson	USAF	O-06Colonel	1966-0266B, MOL	STS-6	[91]
Mark L. Polansky	USAF	O-03Captain	1986-0286B	STS-98, STS-116, STS-127	[92]
Charles J. Precourt	USAF	O-06Colonel	1985-0185A	STS-55, STS-71, STS-84, STS-91	[93]
Russell L. Rogers*	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	1958-0358C	1960 Dyna-Soar Group	[94]
Stuart Roosa	USAF	O-06Colonel	1964-0364C	Apollo 14	[95]
Jerry L. Ross	USAF	O-06Colonel	1975-0275B	STS-61-B, STS-27, STS-37, STS-55, STS-74, STS-88, STS-110	[96]
Robert A. Rushworth	USAF	O-08Major General	1956-0356C	X-15 Flight 87	[97]
Dick Scobee*	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	1971-0271B	STS-41-C, STS-51-L Challenger loss	[98]
David Scott	USAF	O-06Colonel	1962-0362C, IV	Gemini 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 15	[99]
Brewster H. Shaw	USAF	O-06Colonel	1975-0275B	STS-9, STS-61-B, STS-28	[100]
Loren Shriver	USAF	O-06Colonel	1975-0175A	STS-51-C, STS-31, STS-46	[101]
Deke Slayton	USAF	O-04Major	1955-0355C	Apollo–Soyuz Test Project	[102]
Thomas P. Stafford	USAF	O-09Lt General	1958-0358C	Gemini 6A, Gemini 9A, Apollo 10, ASTP	[103]
Frederick W. Sturckow	USMC	O-06Colonel	1992-0192A	STS-88, STS-105, STS-117, STS-128, VP-03, Unity 21, Unity 25, Galactic 02, Galactic 04, Galactic 06	[104][105]
James M. Taylor*	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	1963-0163A, MOL	1965 USAF MOL Group	[106]
Richard H. Truly	USN	O-09Vice Admiral	1964-0164A, MOL	ALT, STS-2, STS-8, NASA Administrator	[107][108]
Terry W. Virts	USAF	O-06Colonel	1998-0298B	STS-130, Soyuz TMA-15M (Expedition 42/43)	[109]
Rex J. Walheim	USAF	O-06Colonel	1992-0192A	STS-110, STS-122, STS-135	[110]
David M. Walker	USN	O-06Captain	1971-0171A	STS-51-A, STS-30, STS-53, STS-69	[111]
Carl E. Walz	USAF	O-06Colonel	1983-0183A	STS-51, STS-65, STS-79, STS-108, Expedition 4, STS-111	[112]
Ed White*	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	1959-0359C	Gemini 4, Apollo 1	[113]
Robert M. White	USAF	O-08Major General	1954-0354C	X-15 Flight 62	[114]
James W. Wood	USAF	O-06Colonel	1956-0456D	1960 Dyna-Soar Group 1	[94]
Alfred Worden	USAF	O-06Colonel	1964-0364C	Apollo 15	[115]
George D. Zamka	USMC	O-06Colonel	1994-0194A	STS-120, STS-130	[116]

Flight test

BGen. Robert Cardenas, USAF, YB-49 chief USAF test pilot

Lt. Bob Hoover, USAF, test and demonstration pilot

Tony LeVier, Lockheed, chief test pilot

Joseph John "Tym" Tymczyszyn, Test Pilot of America's first commercial jet aircraft

  *   Individual was killed in a work-related (aviation) accident.

Name	Service	Rank	Class	Notable events	Ref
Milburn G. Apt*	USAF	O-03Captain	1954-0254B	First to exceed Mach 3. Speed record of Mach 3.2 in X-2	[117][118]
Fred J. Ascani	USAF	O-08Major General	1946-246B	Father of Systems Engineering at Wright Field. F-86 speed record	[119]
Richard Bong*	USAF	O-04Major	1945-0145	United States' highest-scoring air ace. Medal of Honor recipient	[120]
James "JB" Brown	USAF	O-04Major	1986-0186A	F-22 Raptor lead test pilot and F-117 Nighthawk chief test pilot	[121]
Robert Cardenas	USAF	O-07Brig. General	1946-1046J	B-29 commander on mission to break sound barrier. Chief USAF test pilot for YB-49 flying wing	[122]
Ken Chilstrom	USAF	O-06Colonel	1945-0145	Tested over twenty German and Japanese aircraft during World War II. First military pilot to fly XP-86. First jet air race. First transport of air mail by jet	[123] [124] [125] [126]
Glen Edwards*	USAF	O-03Captain	1945-0145	Namesake of Edwards Air Force Base	[127]
Frank K. Everest	USAF	O-07Brig. General	1946-0446D	Speed record of Mach 2.9 in the X-2. Subject and co-author of The Fastest Man Alive	[128]
Fitzhugh L. Fulton	USAF	O-07Brig. General	1952-0252B	Altitude record of 85,360 ft (26.02 km) in the B-58. XB-70, YF-12, 747 Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft testing	[129]
Darryl Greenamyer	Lockheed	O-00n/a	1963-0163A	Piston engine speed record of 776 km/h (482 mph) in an F8F-2. Low altitude speed record of 1,590 km/h (990 mph) in an F-104	[130][131]
Bob Hoover	USAF	O-02Lieutenant	1946-0346C	Flew chase during the Mach one flight. Named "the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived" by Jimmy Doolittle. Noted air show pilot in Shrike Commander and P-51	[132]
Dick Johnson	USAF	O-04Major	1946-0346C	1948 world speed record in the F‑86. First flights of the YF‑102, YF‑106, and F‑111	[133]
Kelly Latimer	USAF	O-05Lt Colonel	1996-0296B	First female test pilot for NASA's DFRC flying on the SOFIA project. Test pilot on White Knight Two and Cosmic Girl	[134][135]
Tony LeVier	Lockheed	O-00n/a	1945-0145	Lockheed chief test pilot. P-38, P-80, XF-90, XF-104, U-2 testing	[136]
Donald L. Mallick	USNR	O-04LCDR	1964-0164A	LLRV, XB-70, and YF-12 testing	[137][138]
Arthur W. Murray	USAF	O-04Major	1945-0745G	X-1A, X-1B, X-4, X-5 testing	[139]
Art Nalls	USMC	O-05Lt Colonel	1985-0185A	Harrier testing; owner and air show pilot of privately owned Harrier	[140]
Wilbert Pearson	USAF	O-08Major General	1982-182A	First pilot to shoot down a satellite from an aircraft; commander of Air Force Flight Test Center	[141][142]
Bruce Peterson	NASA	O-00n/a	1963-0163A	M2-F1, M2-F2, HL-10 lifting body flights	[143]
Steve Pisanos	USAF	O-06Colonel	1945-0445D	F-80 Shooting Star, F-102 Delta Dagger, F-4E testing	[144]
Jack Ridley*	USAF	O-06Colonel	1946-0146A	Project engineer for the team that broke the sound barrier	[145]
Lou Schalk	USAF	O-03Captain	1954-0154A	First flight of the A-12; flight test of A-12, YF-12 and SR-71 Blackbird; Chief test pilot of Lockheed Skunk Works	[146][147][148]
Robert L. Stephens	USAF	O-06Colonel	1949-0449D	Speed and altitude records testing the YF-12 and SR-71	[149]
Robert E. Thacker	USAF	O-06Colonel	1946-0146	P-80 Shooting Star, P-82 distance/speed record, Lockheed solar-powered aircraft	[150]
Guy M. Townsend	USAF	O-07Brig. General	1946-0646F	Co-pilot on the first flight of the B-52 Stratofortress. First military pilot to fly the B-47 Stratojet, B-50 Superfortress, B-52 Stratofortress, and the prototype of the KC-135 Stratotanker	[151]
Joseph John "Tym" Tymczyszyn	FAA	O-00n/a	1945-0149C	Test Pilot on America's First Commercial Jet Aircraft, the Boeing 707	[152]
Chuck Yeager	USAF	O-07Brig. General	1946-0346C	Fighter ace; first to travel faster than sound during level flight; first to reach Mach 2.5; Commandant of Aerospace Research Pilot School	[153]

Military commanders

Gen. Robert T. Herres, USAF, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Name	Service	Rank	Class	Notable events	Ref
James A. Abrahamson	USAF	O-09Lt General	1966-0266B, MOL	Strategic Defense Initiative director	[154]
Spence M. Armstrong	USAF	O-09Lt General	1964-0364C	Vice commander Air Force Systems Command, senior advisor to the NASA administrator	[155][156]
William J. Campbell	USAF	O-09Lt General	1962-0362C, IV	Vice commander Strategic Air Command, TPS Commandant	[157]
Eugene P. Deatrick	USAF	O-06Colonel	1951-0151A, 53C	TPS Commandant. Rescue of Navy Lt. Dieter Dengler	[158][159]
Gabby Gabreski	USAF	O-06Colonel	1945-0745G	Top American fighter ace in Europe during World War II	[160][161]
Robert T. Herres	USAF	O-10General	1966-0266B, MOL	Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff	[162]
Donald J. Kutyna	USAF	O-10General	1965-0365C	North American Aerospace Defense Command	[163]
John M. Loh	USAF	O-10General	1967-0267B	Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force	[164]
Ronald W. Yates	USAF	O-10General	1966-0266B	Air Force Materiel Command	[165]

Authors

Col. Donald S. Lopez Sr., USAF, aviation author

Name	Service	Rank	Class	Notable events	Ref
Donald S. Lopez	USAF	O-06Colonel	1947-0647F	Author of two aviation books. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum deputy director	[166][167][168]
George J. Marrett	USAF	O-03Captain	1964-0164A	Author of five aviation books, three on flight testing including "Contrails Over the Mojave," one on combat in Vietnam and one on a test pilot building a church.	[169][170][171][172]