Michael Joseph Masucci

Michael Joseph "Sooch" Masucci is a highly distinguished aviator based in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a career defined by elite military service and pioneering work in commercial spaceflight. A retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Masucci served as a U-2 Dragon Lady pilot and instructor, as well as an F-16 combat pilot. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, his expertise in flight testing was further refined through evaluations of advanced systems for high-altitude reconnaissance. Today, he is widely recognized as a Lead Pilot for Virgin Galactic, where he has commanded multiple suborbital spaceflights from Spaceport America.

With over 10,000 flight hours across more than 80 different aircraft types, Masucci serves as a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) known for his rigorous standards and safety-first philosophy. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate and is a certified flight instructor (CFI/CFII/MEI). His professional accolades include the 2024 J.H. Doolittle Award for excellence in flight testing. As a DPE, he leverages his unique background in high-stakes environments—ranging from the U-2’s narrow flight envelope to Mach 3 spaceflight—to ensure the highest levels of proficiency and safety mindset in the next generation of pilots.