Scott Altman - Military Career

Military Career

Commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy in August 1981, and received his Naval Aviator wings in February 1983. As a member of Fighter Squadron 51 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Altman completed two deployments to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean flying the F-14A Tomcat. In August 1987, he was selected for the Naval Postgraduate School-Test Pilot School Co-op program and graduated with Test Pilot School Class 97 in June 1990 as a Distinguished Graduate. After graduation, he spent the next two years as a test pilot working on various F-14 projects. Altman then took the new F-14D on its first operational deployment with VF-31 Tomcatters, where he served as maintenance officer and later operations officer. He was awarded the Navy Air Medal for his role as a strike leader flying over Southern Iraq in support of Operation Southern Watch. Shortly following his return from this six month deployment, he was selected for the NASA astronaut program. He has logged over 7,000 flight hours in more than 40 types of aircraft.

He also performed many of the aerial stunts in the film Top Gun, and was the pilot that "flipped the bird" at the enemy Mig pilot.