Does every astronaut have to learn to fly an aircraft?

Because of the many different phases and stages of space flight, the design of the ship and the operators must be able to accommodate both space flight and air flight. read more

You will generally have much more time to react to a potentially problematic situation in an aircraft than you would in a car- you can go off the road in an instant in a car, in an aircraft you are typically at sufficient altitude that any mistakes can be corrected without undue urgency- you won't run into anything. read more

NASA literature says "The T38 is used for flight readiness training to help the astronauts become adjusted to the flight environment, including the g-forces experienced on launch" and that non-pilots fly at least four hours per month in a T-38. Pilot astronauts fly at least 15 hours per month to maintain proficiency. read more