Civilian Test Pilot Opportunities?
 

Just wondering if anyone knows much about being a test pilot in the civilian sector? What kind of jobs are out there, what does your typical day on the job entail, and how is the pay?

Thanks!

I'd bet that the big companies, i.e. Gulfstream, Cessna, etc., prefer, if not require, prior test pilot experience. Military test pilots are probably their best bet.

From what I understand, an engineering or math degree is usually required. There is a National Test Pilot School in California as well as ITPS in England, however the prices are designed more for government/large corporation budgets (i.e large fortune).

Yeah that's the reason I am asking. I am in UPT right now trying to figure out what I would like to fly. As of right now FAIPing is at the top of my list, but I've been told that FAIPing really hurts your chances of becoming a test pilot in the military so I'm considering not putting FAIP as one of my top choices. I'm just trying to figure out what kind of oppurtunities are out there for military test pilots after the military considering military test pilots usually log a lot less time than your average MWS pilot/IP.

Yeah I got my undergrad in Aerospace Engineering and my GPA was pretty solid so I figure I at least have that going for me. I'm guessing there's a lot more that goes into getting selected for TPS though.

NASA...........

In the USN being a SERGRAD comes and goes with the demands of the service and since they usually only do it for a couple of years and then get their choice of aircraft assignment; that was always the bennie that made getting the slot bearable - but I don't ever remember anyone CHOOSING to be a sergrad vice getting out into the operating forces. Is this common practice now days?

FLY6584 - if I may ask - why is FAIPing one of you top choices? Btw - since you typically get a WHOLE LOT more hours instructing than in the fleet - you'll at least come out with probably more total hours; that is why I do know that many people chose the training command as follow on orders after their first tours if they plan on getting out - for the total time (twice as much as they will get in the fleet!)

USMCFLYR

I've got a couple reasons...

First off my wife is working on her Masters at a school nearby and won't be done for another year which isn't a huge deal especially considering how long you can wait for follow on training dates, but I do know she would like to take her time and get some internships done also.

Secondly I like the fact that FAIP's who go on to follow assignments in the Heavy world spend very little time in the right seat usually uprgrading to AC very quickly.

Lastly I have actually had a ton of fun in UPT and really enjoy what I am doing right now not to mention as a FAIP it seems like you are pretty safe from UAV's for the time being. I've also got all of my IP's telling me I've got FAIP written all over me. Haha.:D

Tps
 

You need to be an aircraft commander of a major weapons systems with (I think) 300 hrs to even apply. I started in the OV-10A Bronco, and it didn't count. I don't think any training airplanes do either.

Yeah which is why I think it is harder to do if you start out as a FAIP.

Suggestion
 

Check out this website: SETP - Welcome to The Society Of Experimental Test Pilots

They're hosting a symposium Sept 24-27 in Anaheim CA which would be of interest to anyone who wants to learn more about this kind of flying. The civilian and military test pilots attending will be glad to talk to you.

I have a friend who got to attend the civilian TP school while working for a manufacturer...fully funded. He had GA and regional experience, but I'm sure he got the opportunity based on the specific needs of his job at the time.

As long as you're in the military, try to get it that way.

I can give you a little insight to this. This is pretty much what I did. I am a test pilot for Hawker Beechcraft after serving 10 years active duty in the Navy.

Very cool. What can you tell me about it...

-What's your typical work day like?
-Job Security?
-Time off?
-Pay/Benefits?
-Overall job satisfaction?

Thanks

- Typical work is day is from 0800-1630 with some swinging either way based on what the schedule it for the day. We do post production test flights on Hawker 750, 850XP, 900XP. We also do customer acceptance flights when the jets are done.
- The company is doing very well. Huge backlog on jet orders. Most other biz jet companies are doing well too.
- Time off is normal for a business job. We do trade off weekend work only when needed. If you work the weekend you get comps days mid week.
- Pay/benes: Is based on your experience. I had prior FCF (military post maint. flights) experience and other guys had more jet time, it is up in the air a bit. Benefits are great, about $200 a month for a family for full medical.
- I love my job. I tried the 121 world for about 5 months and didn't really care for it. I was gone more then than I ever was in the military. I also didn't get much from the flying. I love getting to fly here again.

I hope this helps.

A few months ago the National Flight Test Pilot School still had the cost of their "Test Pilot and Flight Test Engineer Professional Course" posted. It was in the area of $450,000 and takes a year.

Yeah, you pretty much need a employer to sponsor you. Even if you HAD $500K, there is almost no way you could justify a return on investment for doing that, you'd be better off keeping the money and working at a regional. You could probably retire at 55....

"dbtownley" or any test pilots out there, would love to talk to you, if you can reply to this thread or PM msg me, much appreciated.

thanks in advance...

are you still active with hawker?

Speaking from my few years experience at one of the major bizjet manufacturers in Wichita, and as a test-pilot track employee at that company, there are definitely some jobs to be held as a test pilot on the civilian side. The economy being what it is, these companies are laying off senior test pilots so don't waste your time applying until the economy recovers. In the business jet industry current estimates put this at about 5 years from now (2015 or so). I cannot speak for transport category airplane manufacturers like Boeing or Bombardier, only the small-airplane manufacturers.

A company may have several dozen test pilots on staff if they have a bunch of airframes to test, depending on how new are the design is. Pay at these companies is based on standardized pay structures, but test pilots will start at about $70k and on a higher band than regular engineers, and are on the same pay bands as senior engineers or middle managers. The salaries top out at about $150k in the bizjet segment for a senior test pilot position. You may wish to move on if that kind of money is not enough- by move on, I mean go into management at the same company, or go to another segment of the test pilot job market that pays more.

Particular test pilots are assigned to particular airframes, and they may have several but they tend to be attached to one or two airframes prior to certification of that airframe. Although during less hurried times a test pilot may observe a normal 8-5 pm work schedule, comprised of a variety of flying and non-flying duties, when the pressure is up to get a new airframe ready for initial certification the schedule may run 24/7/365 until it is finished. This is because some testing has to be done in real flying conditions, ie. ice testing, and the test pilots may have to travel to find the right conditions or fly at times outside of the normal office schedule and the company will want desperately to meet its certification expectation date for a variety of reasons not mentioned here. They may even have to leave the country to perform situational testing. Usually this has to do with finding the correct weather conditions. Test pilots are expected to bend and flex to meet the schedule and it can get quite demanding prior to certification. Night flights and holidays are not out of the question.

No, they more often use non-former military test pilots although they do use some. NPTS and military history is valuable. At the company I worked for a minority of the test pilot staff was former military. It is a plus if you have it, but in no way a bar to getting a test pilot job if you do not. As surprising as it is, these companies actually prefer to train their own people and promote from within. If they cannot train their own test pilots, they send them to NTPS. The point is that not having been to NTPS or having prior military experience is a not bar to the job. One can get hired by one of the GA manufacturers as a low time, inexperienced pilot. Through persistence, hard work, dedication, skill, and getting along well with the rest of the staff one can work up the ladder using lateral transfers until reaching a test pilot slot. There are more rungs to the ladder if you come in with less obviously, but it can be done and frequently is; I was an example of someone traveling through the ranks without much (any) prior experience in the business. There were a bunch of people doing the same at my company, maybe 20 people.

This is correct. No engineering degree, no job. AE and ME B.Sci. degrees are the standard and a few have E.E. or other degrees. Graduate degrees are attractive, but not required for test pilots at all. Professional flying experience is far more valuable than a masters degree or a PhD in this job.

Here's a list of qualifications in order of importance, high to low. Bear in mind this is my take on it, and nothing more than that.

1. Engineering degree. Required for all.
2. Seniority at the company. Specialization on a particular airframe is the most desirable variety. Required for all, unless the candidate is heavily experienced in the next category. Proven ability to work in teams is highly desirable.
3. Flight experience- can be from a wide variety of aircraft and flight situations. The hierarchy of value would be something like this-

A. Military jet time, and if possible NTPS school.
B. Part 121, 135, or 91 jet time.
C. Any kind of multiengine time.
D. Single engine time as an instructor or commercial pilot.

Since flight experience varies among applicants, it is less important than items (1) and (2) on the list, but you need about 1500 hours minimum to be competitive in most cases. bear in mind that pilots with even less time than this can make it up the ladder during strong economic times.

There are positions as CoPilot Test Pilots, not everyone goes directly to the left seat. This is where getting along well with others is important. In most airframes, with the exception being very small ones, there are two test pilots on every mission and actually even the small airframes will always have two pilots although the second will operate the chase plane. They need to work well together. The ability to do so is worth as much as almost anything else, and accounts for the flexibility in pilot qualifications. You may bring only a limited amount of prior flight experience to the table as a test pilot but be able to work well as a team player. You will get promoted faster than a person who cannot work as well in teams.

As I said above, most of the test pilots at my company were not former military. Some were, but not having military background is not a bar to becoming a GA test pilot by any means. Your friend was typical by my experience. The company will send you to NTPS or better yet, train you themselves if they have a program. Never pay for it yourself, even if you have the money.

Finally, now is not the time to be pursuing a test pilot job in the GA market segment of airplane manufacturing business. The recession has devastated this market segment and there are actually senior test pilots being laid off. Wait a few years to give it a try, would be my advice. I hope this helps.

I agree with most of what cub has to say. One of the best ways to find a civilian test pilot jobs is also the best way to get any job: Be in the right place at the right time with a hard work ethic and a positive attitude.

One thing to keep in mind also is there may be several different flight test departments within a company that do a variety of very different things. Where one department may fly to Arizona frequently for high surface temp testing (engineering flight test), another may never leave home base carrying out day to day production flight testing.

Here's a job in this area that appeared in a popular career site today. I wish I had these numbers. It's referred to as an "instructor pilot" job in the ad but they clearly want a full fledged test pilot by the description.

Job-Civilian Test Pilot