LEARN TO TEST TEST TO LEARN S I N C E 1 943

Transcription

1 LEARN TO TEST TEST TO LEARN S I N C E 1 943

2 EXPERIENCED AT BUILDING EXPERIENCE Our founder, Group Captain Sammy Wroath, established the principles of flight test training in These core principles are still relevant today: developing flying and engineering skills, practicing critical thinking and taking a broad perspective in order to distil and communicate useful findings from complex flight test programmes. Then as now, the insights of direct human experience are irreplaceable. Since setting that template we ve constantly reviewed what we teach, responding to and anticipating customer organisations needs, training our graduates to succeed in demanding roles at the forefront of the flight test industry. We ve developed dedicated fast jet, multi-engine and rotary wing courses to better serve our customers demands. We ve revised our syllabus to comply with the latest European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations for flight test training, regulations that we worked with EASA to define. Over 70 years on we re still writing the book on flight test training. Our test fleet is one of the most varied and modern in the business and we aim to keep it that way. Students gain direct experience of flying many types, including the Hawk, Avro RJ, A109 and, unlike any other flight test school, the 4th generation SAAB Gripen. Our philosophy is embodied in our motto: learn to test, test to learn. In conjunction with QinetiQ and partnering with expert organisations across the world, we provide students with first hand insight into numerous working methods and environments, both military and civilian. Our highly qualified teaching staff includes serving military and ex military test pilots and experienced flight test engineers able to support classroom theory with recent, first-hand experience of flight test projects. Modern flight test programmes are amongst the most complex and demanding of human endeavours. Test pilots and flight test engineers need the technical and interpersonal skills to excel in a multidisciplined team environment. Our students are organised into tutor-guided syndicates, undertaking flight test exercises structured to replicate real-world test programmes. We embed a whole-team mindset, nurture leadership skills and promote critical thinking. The results of this intensive and extensive training are exceptionally skilled individuals grounded in the fundamentals of test and evaluation and ready to deliver powerful strategic advantages. Our graduates repay the investment made in their training many times over. Welcome to the Empire Test Pilots School. Commander Stephen Crock Crockatt RN

3 EXPERIENCE COUNTS Experienced test pilots and flight test engineers deliver a precision of feedback and richness of analysis vital to any test programme, civil or military. Having the right flight test professionals saves time, prevents costly procurement mistakes and gives warfighters the capability they need. Ultimately it saves lives. There s no substitute for experience, but in today s pressured aviation industry there s no time to learn on the job. There are, however, ways to accelerate experience. The best way is training with ETPS. The Empire Test Pilots School has over 70 years experience equipping students with the depth of theoretical understanding and breadth of hands-on familiarity they need. We are uniquely placed to deliver a return on training investment, producing people capable of functioning as highly effective, experienced professionals from the day they graduate. The best fleet We have access to a broad and varied fleet of training aircraft, now including the 4th Generation SAAB Gripen D, a contracted variable stability Lear Jet owned by Calspan, instrumented A109s, instrumented Avro RJ as well as our bespoke simulator. Students gain valuable hours in numerous aircraft types, building experience quickly. The best courses We constantly renew our syllabus with up to date material, most recently refreshing our courses for compliance with the EASA flight test training regulations. In fact, we worked with EASA to define the new regulatory structures in the first place. The best tutors Our teaching team is highly qualified. Serving test pilots, both civilian and military, act as tutors, along with skilled specialist flight test engineer and ground instructors. Students are organised into small syndicates under the guidance of a dedicated tutor. Pilots and engineers learn as a team to develop the collaborative, critical mindset needed in today s flight test programmes. The best connections ETPS is operated by QinetiQ as part of a Long Term Partnering Agreement with the Ministry of Defense, and collaborate closely with both civil and military expert organisations from across the world. Students gain first hand knowledge of different working methods and access to an even broader range of aircraft. This partnering of military with civil is unique in flight test training. The best graduates With more aircraft, EASA accredited courses, serving test pilots as tutors and a unique collaborative approach, students leave ETPS with more than just the right skills and the right experience, they leave with the right attitude. Our graduates are able to provide a return on training investment immediately. They re skilled in not only flight test and analysis, but also in reporting their findings succinctly, confident to engage with senior decision makers and provide the expert advice they need. We are uniquely placed to deliver a return on training investment

4 TRAIN AS A TEAM WORK AS A TEAM In today s flight test programmes, test pilots and flight test engineers must work seamlessly with other professionals, pooling their skills to complete an increasingly complex, technically demanding and time critical task. The tutor s role extends beyond teaching technical material exercises They work together, so at ETPS they train together. Under our tutorial system, test pilots and flight test engineers are organised into small syndicates, with each syndicate assigned a dedicated course tutor. The tutor s role extends beyond teaching technical material and flight test exercises. They lead group discussions, encouraging each student to both contribute as a team player and develop leadership skills. Regular tutorials confirm learning outcomes. Team work is not confined to classroom learning. Demanding air exercises put theory into practice, gelling teams together, teaching them to rely on each other and to perform under pressure. Syndicates are changed regularly, broadening students experience with new colleagues and new tutors. We strongly recommend that customers consider sending test pilots and flight test engineers to train together, thereby enabling them to develop as a team and produce a more effective and efficient flight test unit. The best training needs the best trainers. ETPS staffing is unique in its balance of serving military and civilian test pilots, flight test engineers and ground instructors. Highly qualified in their respective disciplines, all have direct experience of the realities of modern test and evaluation operations. Military staff have typically completed a flight test tour of duty immediately before returning to the school. As a team, they are able to give students a complete picture - practical real world know-how, backed by in-depth academic theory.

5 MORE PLATFORMS MORE EXPERIENCE Time and budget pressures in modern aviation, whether civil or military, mean flight test personnel can t afford time to come up to speed after graduation. The more types of aircraft and technologies students are exposed to during training, the more quickly they can save significant time and money on real-world test programmes. Military and civil, fixed wing and rotary, fast jet and multi-engine, simulated and real, ETPS has one of the most extensive fleets in the flight test training world. Our students have access to variable stability systems, so can experience a full spectrum of aircraft handling behaviours in a single flight. Aircraft made available through our longestablished working partnerships with other test centres and organisations around the world further broaden students training and exposure to different working practices. ETPS Flight Simulator Our bespoke flight simulator, built entirely in-house by QinetiQ, enables us to replicate both rotary and fixed wing aircraft in one unit through a cockpit interchange system. It enhances the learning process, ensuring that students understand vital flight test principles before proceeding to the airborne domain. The simulator is used for a wide variety of exercises, from learning about variations in flying control mechanical characteristics, to identifying handling quality deficiencies in different aircraft. The simulator is also used to design and evaluate a representative higher order flight control system model for validation in flight. Variable Stability A wide range of stability and control characteristics are demonstrated to the students using a contracted variable stability Lear Jet (Calspan). On these sorties, ETPS staff pilot tutors provide the tuition to both student test pilots and flight test engineers. The aircraft has parameter displays and data recording capabilities specifically developed for the ETPS task - these allow students to make near real time analysis of responses in the air and export data for detailed debrief after flight. For some flights a target aircraft is used for high gain tracking and formation keeping tasks. This capability allows students to experience multiple handling qualities and system responses in a single flight, allowing direct comparisons to be made between data sets. Agusta A109E Power We have two fully instrumented A109 helicopters in the rotary wing training fleet. Extensively modified, they are invaluable teaching aids for many of the course exercises. The A109s provide digital engine control and glass cockpits with integrated real-time instrumentation data for both the pilot and flight test engineer students. Dedicated flight test engineer work consoles are mounted in the main cabin, enabling students to monitor parameters in comfort and make immediate flight test management decisions. Data is recorded in-flight and downloaded via USB for immediate post flight analysis. Avro RJ We now have two Avro RJs in our fleet, both with flight test instrumentation. These latest additions to our fleet enable training in large aircraft test techniques to meet military and civil (CS25) requirements. SAAB Gripen ETPS is the only test pilot school syllabus to include extensive flying in a fourth generation fighter aircraft. This provides vital training for students likely to be involved in testing modern, sophisticated, agile fighter aircraft for future procurement. The Gripen, which is leased through SAAB Aviation AB, is a high performance combat aircraft equipped with sophisticated data fused sensors. We use the Gripen as a training platform in advanced aero-systems, high performance testing including supersonics, and advanced flight control systems. It is captained by our staff pilot tutors with our student test pilots flying in the front seat and our flight test engineers flying in the rear seat. ETPS has access to one of the most extensive fleets in the test flight training world

6 REDEFINING SAFETY STANDARDS The European Aviation Safety Agency has introduced regulatory changes to civil flight testing. The training, qualification and licensing of all civil test pilots operating within the European Union must now comply. Regulations for flight test engineers will be developed in the next few years. ETPS worked closely with EASA to define the new standards and implement new regulatory structures. Our courses have been re-designed to ensure graduates meet both current and future requirements, whether civil or military. EASA Changes EASA proposed a specific syllabus for civilapproved and licensed test pilots (TP) and flight test engineers (FTE) conducting experimental and development test flying. This led to the creation of two TP and FTE course Categories: Category 1 (CAT 1) flight test course qualifies to undertake any form of research and development test flying including experimental and envelope expansion testing. Category 2 (CAT 2) flight test course qualifies to command inside the envelope or developmental test flying, or assist in experimental test flying. Course Improvements We developed all ETPS Graduate courses in compliance with the new EASA regulations. Customer requests for improvements have also been included; part of our continual enhancement programme to ensure ETPS training meets all clients needs, whether military or civil, European or global. ETPS graduate courses have now been split into two halves: The first six-month course qualifies TP and FTE graduates to EASA CAT 2 standards A further six months completes training to EASA CAT 1 standards Our Bridging Course enables CAT 2 graduates, or flight test practitioners with comparable training and experience, to complete the final six-months training to the CAT 1 standard. Our courses have been re-designed to ensure graduates meet both current and future requirements

7 COURSE OBJECTIVES: MANY SKILLS, ONE APPROACH The right technical skills aren t enough. Effective flight test professionals need the right attitude. Technical specialisms vary from fixed to rotary wing and test pilot to flight test engineer, but the core objective is consistent across every ETPS course: teaching all students to deliver efficient, effective flight test programmes. Every course builds on pilots and aerospace engineers existing experience, quickly developing new experience in the detailed skills and big-picture philosophy needed for all forms of research and development test flying, including complete military release to service programmes. Qualifications Courses are structured around platform types and designed to meet the requirements of the UK Ministry Of Defence and our overseas military customers, as well as EASA for Category 1 and Category 2 flight test. ETPS graduates compress years worth of experience in flight and systems testing techniques into a few months of intensive, thorough training. Overall course objectives are to:- Teach a philosophy that can be applied to any-type of flight testing Develop a sound academic background to flight test Develop skills in the analysis and presentation of flight test results Develop a broad knowledge of all aviation matters Promote team-building skills by working with pilots and flight-test engineers from a wide variety of nationalities and backgrounds Course structure All long courses share the same core structure, with Class A students receiving a greater breadth and depth of instruction and experience to raise their training to the required standard. Ground School For all courses, ground school begins with an initial intensive period of instruction to ensure that students have the necessary academic standards. The course is then divided into three main topics: Performance, Handling qualities & Systems. Flying Exercises Both test pilot and flight test engineer courses place an emphasis on practical flying experience, developing analysis skills and presentation of flight test results. Students are given demonstration flights with tutors before planning and conducting their own test flights. Qualitative observations and quantitative data taken in flight are then presented in the form of technical reports and customer briefings. Test pilot students convert to and fly as captain on multiple aircraft types and fly for evaluation purposes in many more. Flight test engineer students take a full, active part in flying exercises on numerous aircraft types, enhancing the course value greatly, instilling a greater appreciation of test flying realities and the cockpit environment in particular. We instil in our students a flight test philosophy that enables them to plan and execute a safe and effective flight test campaign whatever the capability under test. Team Working The school encourages team working. Test pilots and flight test engineers learn together, promoting mutual understanding and respect, making each role more effective. Students are placed in small syndicates with a course tutor skilled in group dynamics. The tutor leads discussions, encouraging each individual s development as a fully contributing team player, while also nurturing the leadership skills necessary to assume pivotal roles in complex flight test programmes. Syndicates composition changes each term, broadening students experience. Wider Aviation Experience Students visit UK and European aircraft industry and experimental establishments worldwide and attend professional conferences throughout the course, exposing them to as wide an experience of flight test and aviation matters as possible. Preview Exercise Class A and Class A Bridging courses culminate in the assessment of an aircraft of which students have no previous experience, normally at an overseas test centre or manufacturer s airfield. Students are formed into teams of two or three and allocated up to eight flight hours for evaluation. After the exercise students produce a full report, and support their findings in a final oral examination. Graduation Success in training earns the prestigious graduate accolade and worldwide recognition of personal achievement and professional standing, with the issuing of relevant Course Completion Certificates. Cranfield University Qualified Class A students can choose to undertake additional studies which, when added to their ETPS course, result in the award of a post graduate qualification in Flight Dynamics in conjunction with Cranfield University. To comply with UK Ministry Of Defence and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) requirements, graduate courses are offered in two Classes: Military Class A and B (equivalent to EASA Cat 1 and 2) for test pilots and flight test engineers, specialising in either fixed wing or rotary wing aircraft. Class A Test Pilots are qualified to conduct experimental flying (CAT1) after graduating from the full year-long course. Students achieve around 110 flying hours, captaining at least two types and conducting evaluation flights on around 18 types of fixed wing or 13 types of rotary wing aircraft. Class A Flight Test Engineers are qualified to act as lead flight test engineers in experimental (CAT 1) flying after graduating from the year-long course, which meets or exceeds the EASA CAT 1 requirements. Students achieve around 70 flying hours, evaluating around 18 types of fixed wing or 13 types of rotary wing aircraft. Class B Test Pilots are not qualified to command experimental test flights but can command inside the envelope test flying or act as co-pilot in experimental test flying after graduating from the six month course, which meets or exceeds the EASA CAT 2 requirements. Students achieve around 60 fixed wing or 52 rotary wing flying hours, captaining at least two types and evaluating around nine types of fixed wing or six types of rotary wing aircraft. Class B Flight Test Engineers are not qualified to act as lead flight test engineers in experimental (CAT 1) flying but can conduct inside the envelope test (CAT 2) flying after graduating from the six month course, which meets or exceeds the EASA CAT 2 requirements. Students achieve around 45 fixed wing or 36 rotary wing flying hours, evaluating around nine types of fixed wing or six types of rotary wing aircraft. Class A Bridging Courses enable Class B graduates, or flight test personnel able to demonstrate comparable training and experience, to progress to Class A qualification, providing additional flying time and experience of further aircraft types. Introduction to Helicopter Ship Interface Training (HSIT) delivers training in how to plan, conduct and report on Ship Helicopter Operating Limits (SHOL) which have not previously been cleared. The short six-to-nine day course combines ground school training linking theory with practical trials, plus the opportunity to practice SHOL trial techniques in a simulator before progressing to real test programmes. While this course does not result in a formal qualification, a completion certificate is issued. It will equip the flight test professional with the theoretical knowledge and practical training required to conduct this demanding flight test activity. Entry Requirements Our courses are available to pilots and engineers from the UK and overseas who are sponsored by their service or employer to undertake the training. ETPS may seek evidence of your experience and qualifications to ensure suitability and, where necessary, make specific recommendations for pre-course preparation. Test Pilot Courses More than 750 operational flying hours as First Pilot High average to above average flying abilities A high level of academic ability in mathematics, mechanics, aerodynamics and aero-systems Medical fitness for all forms of flying A strong command of aviation and technical English both written and spoken Flight Test Engineer Courses Preferably a minimum of 8-10 hours pre-course flying experience on representative types Graduate level education in engineering, physics or a related subject Three or more years experience of working in an aviation environment is a distinct advantage Medical fitness for all forms of flying A strong command of aviation and technical English both written and spoken

8 HIGH FLIERS The effectiveness of our training is proven by the success our past students have enjoyed. Our graduates have gone on to achieve great things in the cockpit, in the record books, in senior leadership roles and beyond into space Course Year ETPS Graduate No /5 Mr. Janusz Zurakowski Highly decorated Polish and RAF Spitfire pilot, later a test pilot with Glosters (Meteor and Javelin) and Avro Canada (Arrow). No /5 Lieutenant Colonel John R Muehlberg USAF (Rtd) First Commandant, US Air Force Test Pilot School. No Lieutenant Commander Peter Twiss OBE, DSC & Bar RN (Rtd) On 10th March 1956 in a supersonic delta-winged Fairey Delta 2 research aircraft, Twiss raised the world air speed record from 822.1mph to 1,132mph, the first to exceed 1,000mph in level flight. No Rear Admiral H C Nicholas Nick Goodhart, CB, Legion of Merit, FRAeS, RN (Rtd) Invented the aircraft carrier mirror-sight deck landing system. Record-breaking glider pilot, holder of the Royal Aero Club s Silver medal and the FAI s Paul Tissandier Diploma. No 4/5 1946/7 Squadron Leader Neville Duke DSO, OBE, DFC, (Two Bars), AFC RAF (Rtd) World War II fighter ace, later a Hawker Aircraft test pilot, setting a new world air speed record of mph on 7th September 1953, flying Hunter WB188. No 4/5 1946/7 Air Marshall Sir Kenneth Charles Michael Giddings KCB, OBE, DFC, AFC & Bar No 22 FW 1963 Colonel Bill Pogue USAF (Rtd) Pilot of Skylab 4 space station, No 23 FW 1964 Mr Al Worden Command module pilot Apollo 15 moon mission, No 32 FW 1973 Air Vice-Marshall Peter Nicholson Appointed Air Commander Australia on 9th April Admitted as an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 1999 Australia Day Honours. No 37 FW 1978 Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Baudry French Air Force (Rtd) Flew aboard NASA Space Shuttle mission STS-51-G in No 40 FW 1981 M. Jean-Pierre Haigneré French Airforce pilot, later CNES and European Space Agency (ESA) cosmonaut on the 1993 Franco- Russian Altair and 1999 Soyuz TM-29 missions to the Mir space station. No 40 FW 1981 Colonel L Blaine Hammond USAF (Rtd) USAF pilot and NASA astronaut. Flew on Space Shuttle missions STS-39 and STS-64 No 41 FW 1982 Brigadier General Michel Tognini French Air Force (Rtd) French and ESA astronaut who served on the 1992 Soyuz TM-15 and 1999 Space Shuttle STS-93 missions. No 47 FW 1988 Lieutenant Colonel Maurizio Cheli Italian Air Force (Rtd) ESA astronaut on Space Shuttle mission STS-75 in No 47 FW 1988 M. Claude Nicollier First astronaut from Switzerland flying on four Space Shuttle missions. Professor of Spatial Technology at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne from No 51 FW 1992 M. Frank Viscount de Winne First ESA astronaut to command a space mission, serving as commander of the 2009 International Space Station Expedition 21, his second ISS mission. No 43 RW 2005 Major Tim Peake AAC (Rtd) Former British Army Air Corps helicopter pilot, the first British citizen selected as an astronaut by ESA.

9 S I N C E Empire Test Pilots School Boscombe Down Sailsbury Wiltshire SP40 0JF United Kingdom Tel +44(0) Fax +44(0) etpssales@qinetiq.com Web You can follow QinetiQ on: QinetiQ ETPS is part of the QinetiQ Group QinetiQ ltd 2015