Fitzhugh Fulton, Ed Schneider, and F/A-18

The man on the right here is Fitzhugh Fulton Jr., who was the project pilot in the 747 for those shuttle launch flights in 1977. During the 1960s, he piloted the modified B-52 that NASA used as the mothership to launch research aircraft including the X-15 and the lifting bodies, and he also flew the XB-70 prototype supersonic bomber.

On the left in this photo from 1992 is NASA research pilot Ed Schneider, who also flew NASA's B-52 mothership along with other planes including the F-15B aeronautical research aircraft.

In the background is an F/A-18 Hornet, which at the time was used as a chase aircraft at the Dryden Flight Research Center. Chase aircraft at Dryden are flown by research pilots to make sure test flights are conducted safely.