Ex-fighter pilot Altman is commander of space shuttle Atlantis mission . As a young pilot , Scott Altman was a stunt double in the 49 hit movie `` Top Gun '' worked with several actors on the film , including star Tom Cruise . `` The skipper of our squadron picked four guys he thought he could trust to have this kind of carte blanche to break the rules a little bit , '' Altman said . Altman on Cruise : `` He enjoyed flying . He listened to what we told him ''
Ex-fighter pilot Altman is commander of space shuttle Atlantis mission . As a young pilot , Scott Altman was a stunt double in the 49 hit movie `` Top Gun '' worked with several actors on the film , including star Tom Cruise . Altman on Cruise : `` He enjoyed flying . He listened to what we told him ''