The mission of the National Test Pilot School is to educate and train military and civilian aviation personnel so that each graduate increases flight test competency, improves flight test and aviation safety, and enhances the aerospace profession worldwide.

Our mission is primarily accomplished through our professional courses and master's programs that provide graduate-level flight test education and training to test pilots and flight test engineers who learn to safely and effectively plan, execute, and report on flight test programs for their military or civilian organizations.

Our mission is further accomplished through NTPS' continuing education programs, flight test-related research programs, and flight test support activities that increase competency, safety, and the breadth of knowledge in the aviation and flight test professions.

NTPS is committed to our core values of honesty, integrity, objectivity, safety, teaching, mentoring, teamwork, and the continuous pursuit of knowledge and excellence.

Graduates of NTPS are expected to be able to safely and effectively plan, execute, and report on flight test programs.

The NTPS graduate embodies the following ILO attributes:

• Independently demonstrates professional ethics and practices academic integrity.
• Demonstrates proficiency in written and oral communication.
• Interacts effectively with culturally-diverse populations.
• Reaches well-reasoned conclusions by analyzing problems and data.
• Displays a mastery of the knowledge and skills required in the flight test profession.
• Demonstrates the information literacy and computer proficiency skills necessary to support continuous learning in the flight test profession.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of flight test safety and risk assessment.

Within a few years of graduation NTPS MS FTE and MS FT&E alumni can be expected to:

• Demonstrate increasingly highly specialized skills required to execute safety-critical tests in flight and in the control room.
• Successfully integrate the roles of a Test Pilot and Flight Test Engineer throughout the aircraft/system design, development, and testing process.
• Validate the airworthiness and mission capability of an air vehicle and/or system
• Attain positions with increasing responsibilities in managing developmental flight test projects.
• Advance the flight test and evaluation discipline through reports, professional papers, journal articles, and/or symposia presentations

The NTPS Graduate will have:

• An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering.
• An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data.
• An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs with realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability.
• An ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams.
• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems.
• An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility.
• An ability to communicate effectively.
• The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context.
• A recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in life-long learning.
• A knowledge of contemporary issues.
• An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for the engineering practice.