Flight Test Pilot

FutureLeader

FutureLeader

New Member
Hello Everyone,

As of late I have become curious as to the education and experience required to become a test pilot for companies such as boeing, bombardier, etc. I have done an extensive online search, but google has not been of aid on this subject. If anyone on this site is a test pilot, has aspirations of becoming one and has CORRECT information as to the crudentials required for a test pilot career, feel free to send me a private message. I have observed that some are able to train for such position through the US Air Force, which is not an option for a Canadian like me. On that note, what can one do to acquire such a position outside of the USAF. Feel free to respond.

Future
 
The last issue of Women In Avition Magazine had an article called "Office With A View" about the ladies at the Boeing Company who are test pilots. It is posted on the Boeing site here- http://www.boeing.com/commercial/news/feature/pilots.html

The article was written by Kathleen M. Spicer, Boeing Company employee & labor communications Commercial Aircraft Division. According to the Boeing site, her Email is kathleen.m.spicer@boeing.com. Perhaps she can send you more info on what they require of their candidates.
 
Thanks for the info av8trxx. I will give her an e-mail. Hopefully she finds time to give me a personal response.

As for the Canadian Air Force, I am not sure if they have a flight test training program. I will be sure to inquire tho.
 
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If you have a spare $500k laying around you might consider it.

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Key Bank baby!!!

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Future

Quite a few air forces like Canadian, Oz, Singapore, etc don't run their own test pilot schools. I know that in the case of the RAAF (and RAN & Army) TPs train at ETPS in UK, or at Edwards, or US Navy Pax River, or NTPS at Mojave.

Another way into flight test is to start from an engineering background, and get a manufacturer to send you to something like NTPS after you've worked for them for a few years.

Whichever way you approach it, the sine qua non of a TP career is an engineering (Aero or Mech) degree with good marks. Start studying mate!
 
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Hello Everyone,

As of late I have become curious as to the education and experience required to become a test pilot for companies such as boeing, bombardier, etc. I have done an extensive online search, but google has not been of aid on this subject. If anyone on this site is a test pilot, has aspirations of becoming one and has CORRECT information as to the crudentials required for a test pilot career, feel free to send me a private message. I have observed that some are able to train for such position through the US Air Force, which is not an option for a Canadian like me. On that note, what can one do to acquire such a position outside of the USAF. Feel free to respond.

Future

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check out/pm MDPilot ... he was a test pilot in the USAF
 
Having flown with a test pilot, I think phat skills in techinical writing, an aerospace engineering background and operational experience is a basic requirement. You do some pretty wild stuff, even in civilian transport jets in order to certify them. The captain told me a story about what he had to do to 'recertify' a G-V with a satellite antenna mod on it.

Ever hear of "V-dive"? Eww! Call me a wuss, but something that involves screeching out of the sky at a significant velocity over Vne doesn't sound particularly appealing to me!
 
The answer to the original question depends on whether you're looking at experimental or production flight test. For experimental, almost all are grads of one of the military flight test schools. That requires that you have an engineering, math or physics degree, and you generally have to have been selected for tactical jets after UPT and you then have to get selected for TPS.

Production test still prefers that, but not all of the pilots who do that were TPS grads.
 
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check out/pm MDPilot ... he was a test pilot in the USAF

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Actually, I was an instructor on staff at USAFTPS, and a research pilot after that, never a graduate of TPS.

Regardless, accurate advice has already been given here. Many foreign governments and aerospace/aircraft companies send candidates to National TPS in Mojave. It is probably too expensive for an individual as prices for a compilation of courses would range from $0.5M to over $1.0M. The only other avenue would be military, which the Canadian Air Force also has available, usually sending their (few) students to either USAFTPS or Navy TPS. A strong Engineering or Physics educational background is required in all cases.

BTW, test piloting of today is a far cry from the "Right Stuff" image of the past, most test pilots spend the vast majority of their time writing technical reports than "pushing the flight envelope."
 
I too was surprised to learn that Canada has an air force. Here is a link I found to a CAF test pilot's home page:

Flight Test Canuck

My ultimate goal is to become an engineering test pilot for Boeing, if possible. I neither have the eyes nor the calling to join the military, so I will take my crack at the civilian route. Hopefully I can get in contact with somebody at Boeing who is in the know if I land an internship there this summer, but this is what I have come up with on my own:

1.) B.S. in mechanical engineering (1 year left)
2.) M.S. in aerospace engineering
3.) Acquire flight ratings.
4.) Work for Boeing as an aerospace engineer (perhaps flight testing or in the flight deck group).
5.) Work as a part time flight instructor and continue to explore new things in aviation (aerobatics, gliders, etc.) on the side.
6.) Beocme a production test pilot.
7.) Become an engineering test pilot.

The beauty of my plan is that should 6-7 never transpire, 1-5 are things I would want to do anyways.
 
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I too was surprised to learn that Canada has an air force.

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Haha, that made me crack up and spit my tea!!
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Thanks for the overwhelming response everyone. Everything mentioned was very clear and informative. I will be sure to follow up on this information by doing some further research into the areas mentioned.
 
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My ultimate goal is to become an engineering test pilot for Boeing, if possible. I neither have the eyes nor the calling to join the military, so I will take my crack at the civilian route. Hopefully I can get in contact with somebody at Boeing who is in the know if I land an internship there this summer, but this is what I have come up with on my own:

1.) B.S. in mechanical engineering (1 year left)
2.) M.S. in aerospace engineering
3.) Acquire flight ratings.
4.) Work for Boeing as an aerospace engineer (perhaps flight testing or in the flight deck group).
5.) Work as a part time flight instructor and continue to explore new things in aviation (aerobatics, gliders, etc.) on the side.
6.) Beocme a production test pilot.
7.) Become an engineering test pilot.



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You hit the nail on the head. This is exactly the way to work into a flight test pilot position here. However, you do not need the masters degree. There have been a few who've clawed their way to a pilot position without previous military or commercial experience.

Good luck.
 
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