Bachelor of science from the University of California; pilot for North American Aviation (NAA); X-15 pilot (but no flight); selected for the MISS project ("Man In Space Soonest"); it was planned to put a man into space in October 1960; the project was cancelled due of financial and technical problems; since December 1960 chief testpilot of NAA for the XB-70 Valkyrie (first flight on 21.09.1964 with Joe Cotton); the XB-70A crashed on 08.06.1966 following a air collision with a F-104 in Edwards; White was the only surviving (Joe Walker in the F-104 and co-pilot Carl Cross died in the XB-70); in 1967 he left the NAA and worked for 2 years at Trans World Airlines; later he founded his own consultancy firm; three times divorced (children from first and second marriage).