NASA Administrator Takes Top Performers Supersonic in F-5 Incentive Flights
Jared Isaacman launches new employee reward program with sunset flight over Kennedy Space Center.
(Cape Canaveral, FL) NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman conducted the first flights in a new employee incentive program this week, personally flying two Kennedy Space Center employees aboard his privately owned Northrop F-5 Tiger II for a sunset flight over Florida’s Space Coast, recognizing exceptional performance by rewarding top NASA talent with a once-in-a-lifetime supersonic flight experience, as shared by Special Communications Assistant to the Administrator at NASA John Kraus on LinkedIn.
Image of NASA administrator Jared Isaacman flying his supersonic Northrop F-5 Tiger II courtesy of NASA via Bloomberg.
The flight marked the debut of what Isaacman is calling “NASA workforce incentive flights,” which are designed to motivate and retain high-performing employees across the agency. Instead of traditional awards, select personnel will be invited to fly in Isaacman’s personal aircraft, including the twin-engine F-5 capable of speeds up to Mach 1.6, according to Luxury Launches.
“Administrator Isaacman has an extensive background in aviation and has generously made his privately owned F-5 aircraft available for NASA workforce incentive flights, flyovers, participation in America’s 250th birthday celebrations, and to inspire the next generation to take an interest in STEM fields and contribute to the greatest adventure in human history,” NASA spokeswoman Bethany Stevens posted on X, as reported by the New York Post.
Stevens’ message also shared that, "All costs associated with these flights are covered by the Administrator, with zero burden to the taxpayer. On his first day, he publicly committed to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, including covering these costs personally, donating his salary to Space Camp, and ensuring NASA delivers on its world-changing mission efficiently and with urgency."
The F-5 Tiger II, a lightweight fighter developed in the 1960s, is part of Isaacman’s extensive private fleet. The NASA administrator is qualified on a wide range of military jets, including the F-5, L-39, A-4, T-38, and even the MiG-29, making him one of the few civilians in the U.S. with experience flying such aircraft, per Luxury Launches.
