Monday, January 29, 2007
What it's like to be a Flight Test Engineer (62E3F)
The Flight Test Engineer (FTE) AFSC, 62E3F, is only attained by completing the USAF Test Pilot School (TPS), or one equivalent such as the Naval Test Pilot School. Each year a board is held to select approximately 20 engineers to attend TPS. Typically, selectees are junior Captains. These engineers attend the year-long school along with a group of pilots to train to become flight test professionals for the Air Force. Following graduation, you are assigned to a flight test squardon and perform duties as a flight test engineer for a minimum of one assignment prior to returning to other acquisition positions.
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A day in the life of an FTE ... Wake up at 0430 to make it to the squadron and prepare in time for a 0700 mission brief. The mission today is to test the integration of a new air-to-air missle on the F-16. Its a two ship formation with a test pilot in each aircraft. The second jet is there for photos so a photographer is in the back seat of that jet, and the FTE is in the back seat of the test jet that will fire the missile. The mission goes well and firing the missile at 1.6M and 0g. During the mission, the FTE was responsible for backing up the pilot and calling out key release parameters. After landing, you help run HUD tape and dissect the mission during debrief. By now, its noon, so you have some lunch and return to work to help develop a test plan for next month in which you will be testing to see that the F-16 can recover from out-of-control situations. You also prepare for tomorrows mission, in which you will fly in part of a 4-ship mission to evaluate the effectiveness of upgraded electronic warfare instrumentation. By the time you finish the mission planning, you are able to leave work 1700 just in time to meet your 12 hr crew rest requirement for the 0500 show time the next morning.
The hours are long, but the work is some of the most exciting there is for a 62.
What are the requirements to apply to test pilot school?
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