- He graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1988 and served for 13 years as a naval aviator, testing systems for the A-7 Corsair II, A-6 Intruder and the F/A-18 Hornet.
- Learned how to fly at Princeton University, first aboard a glider as a member of the school's Soaring Society and then testing experimental designs as a student in Princeton's flight research center.
- Earned his bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering and a master's in fluid mechanics and thermodynamics from Brown University in Rhode Island.
- Held a master's degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering, which he earned at Princeton University in New Jersey.
- Retired from the U.S. Navy with the rank of commander in 1998, having logged more than 4,300 flight hours.
- In 2009 he became a brand ambassador for Ball Watches.
- In 2006 he appeared in a series of television commercials for Miller Lite beer, appearing as part of the "ancient order of men" as described by actor and narrator Burt Reynolds.
- Has three children, Justin, Jonathan and Jennifer.
- In 2021 he self-published "The Magic and Menace of SpaceShipOne: A First-Person History of the World's First Commercial Spaceflights," recounting in more than 400 pages his experience with the XPRIZE-winning spacecraft.
- Enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1978. He completed five operational tours, which included 490 arrested landings on aircraft carriers, as well as seeing combat as part of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Southern Watch.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content