Chris Hadfield - Military Experience

Military Experience

Hadfield joined the Canadian Forces in May 1978. He spent two years at Royal Roads Military College, in Victoria, British Columbia followed by two years at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario where he received a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering (with honors) in 1982. Hadfield underwent basic flight training for the Royal Canadian Air Force at CFB Portage La Prairie in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba for which he was named top pilot in 1980. In 1983, he took honors as the overall top graduate from Basic Jet Training at CFB Moose Jaw in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and in 1984–1985, he trained as a fighter pilot at CFB Cold Lake in Cold Lake, Alberta on CF-5s and CF-18s.

For the next three years Hadfield flew CF-18s for the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) with 425 Squadron, during which time he flew the first CF-18 intercept of a Soviet Tupolev Tu 95 "Bear" aircraft. He attended the United States Air Force (USAF) Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, in California, and upon graduation, served as an exchange officer with the U.S. Navy at Strike Test Directorate at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station. His accomplishments from 1989 to 1992 included testing the F/A-18 and A-7 aircraft; performing research work with NASA on pitch control margin simulation and flight; completing the first military flight of F/A-18 enhanced performance engines; piloting the first flight test of the National Aerospace Plane external burning hydrogen propulsion engine; developing a new handling qualities rating scale for high angle-of-attack test; and participating in the F/A-18 out-of-control recovery test program. In total, Hadfield has flown over 70 different types of aircraft.