David is a highly experienced test pilot and leader in both military and commercial aerospace who retired recently as Virgin Galactic VP Flight & Test Operations and Chief Pilot - whilst becoming the first ever Scottish Astronaut. In 2023, he led his flight operations team to an historic run of six consecutive monthly spaceflights, delivering safe and successful missions, on the assigned day, at the assigned time.

David built a team of test pilots and flight test engineers, helped select and train the Mission Control team, achieved major changes to Spaceport America’s facilities, and was deeply involved in negotiating airspace and operating agreements with the FAA and the DoD. He is passionate about the importance of high-performance teamwork enabled through a system and working environment that allows the individual and the team to flourish in high pressure, highly dynamic roles.

An Aeronautical Engineering graduate from the University of Glasgow, a graduate from the French test pilot school, and awarded the Air Force Cross for test flying. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from the University of Glasgow, and an Honorary Doctor of Technology from Robert Gordon University.