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Why Choose NTPS?

The National Test Pilot School offers the best total flight test education and training in the world.  NTPS is located in and uses the finest flight test area in the United States, the R-2508 Complex used also by Edwards AFB and China Lake NAS.  NTPS has modern facilities employing the latest technologies including specialized laboratories, simulators, ranges, and telemetry systems.  Many of the more than thirty aircraft operated by NTPS are instrumented for flight test training and no other school utilizes the variety of specially acquired aircraft to support flight test training.  Flight simulators are used to bridge the gap between the classroom and the cockpit to allow students to explore, practice, and ask questions about flight test techniques before flying in the aircraft.  NTPS has a diverse and extremely experienced staff of instructors.  NTPS instructors come from the top test organizations in the US and around the globe averaging more than 15 years of flight test experience and more than 10 years of flight test instructional experience.

NTPS is the leader in innovative and customized total flight test training in the world.  Innovations include:

  • The first accredited test pilot school in the world
  • The first test pilot school in the world to achieve EASA ATO Certification
  • The first civilian test pilot school.
  • The first to offer the professional course in modules to improve the student learning experience and to support continuous professional development.
  • The first test pilot school to confer Masters degrees.
  • The first to offer Pre-TPS courses to help students prepare/ramp-up for the very demanding professional course.
  • The first test pilot school to make Systems Testing 50 percent of the professional course curriculum.
  • The first test pilot school to transition to predominantly electronic course material delivery.
  • The first test pilot school to develop and certify an Optionally Piloted Aircraft and implement it into the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Curriculum.

Facilities

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The National Test Pilot School (NTPS) complex is located at Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California, very close to Edwards, AFB.  Mojave airport houses many civilian flight test organizations and has been designated the Mojave Civilian Flight Test Center.

The National Test Pilot School has in place a joint use agreement between the USAF and the USN to use the airspace and ranges of R2515 and the MOA 2508 on a non-interference basis.

The NTPS complex currently consists of six buildings.  The school hangar and classroom facility totals 42,400 square feet, two maintenance hangars for jet aircraft repair, each 13,600 square feet and a helicopter and propeller aircraft maintenance facility of 15,000 square feet.  In addition to the buildings mentioned above, additional storage areas totaling 19,600 square feet for aircraft parts is leased from Mojave airport.

The school building has six classrooms, numerous faculty offices, student work areas, briefing rooms, two lounges, conference rooms, library, simulator rooms, multiple computer-based data analysis facilities, telemetry ground station, operations room and administrative sections, showers, lockers and a racquetball court.

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Faculty Qualification and Experience

The NTPS employs a full-time professional staff, complemented by part-time academic and flight instructors. 

First Name

Speciality

Highest Degree

TPS Graduate

Years Flight Test Experience

Years TPS Instructor

Flight Hours

Adam Francki

TP Instructor

MS

US Air Force Test Pilot School

5

1

4,600

Andrea Pingitore

TP Instructor

MS

US Naval Test Pilot School

7

2

2,500

Brian Morrissette

OT&E Instructor

MS

--

4

1

6,100

Bruce Wilder

FTE Instructor

MS

US Air Force Test Pilot School

21

8

1,400

Greg Lewis

TP Instructor

MS

US Air Force Test Pilot School

43

30

10,160

Fabian Machado

TP Instructor

MBA

Brazilian Air Force Test Pilot School

11

5

3,500

Jason Paquin

TP Instructor

BS

Empire Test Pilot School

13

4

4,300

Jeff Trang

TP Instructor

MS

US Naval Test Pilot School

32

0

5,500

Jeremy Sequeira

FTE Instructor

BS

ETPS

13

1

400

Jim Brown

TP Instructor

MBA

US Air Force Test Pilot School

36

7

9,925

John Norton

Academic Instructor

MBA

---

5

11

8,200

Jonathan Knaul

TP Instructor

PhD

EPNER

15

1

4,500

Juan Rodriguez

Academic Instructor

PhD

---

---

1

---

Luca Campello

TP Instructor

MS

EPNER

15

7

2,500

Matteo Brambilla

TP Instructor

MS

US Naval Test Pilot School

4

1

1,500

Mike Schwamm

OT&E Instructor

MS

USAF Fighter Weapons School

20

2

12,000

Russ Stewart

TP Instructor

MS

US Air Force Test Pilot School

47

26

10,100

Vikrant Sharma

Academic Instructor

MS

NTPS

8

1

--

Adam Francki
 Specialty Highest Degree TPS Graduate Years Flight Test Exp Years TPS Instructor Flight Hours
 TP Instructor MS USAF Test Pilot School 4,600