This short course is designed for professionals who:

• wish to boost professional development and cannot attend the one-year-long Flight Test Engineer Professional Course
• are already working in the flight test field and want to enhance their flight test engineering skillset
• are currently engineers or flight test support personnel requiring practical experience in aircraft performance, stability and control, handling qualities, and avionic testing, as well as a working knowledge of FAA and military specifications pertaining to piloted aircraft
• wanting a jump-start for a master’s degree (12 Continuing Education Units)
• are newcomers to the field or experienced personnel returning to the field, and Flight Test Managers and support personnel newly assigned to a systems flight test program

 

The certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete the following courses:

• T&E 4001 Fundamentals of Flight Test (2 weeks)
• T&E 4002 Test Management / Operational Test and Evaluation (1 week)
• T&E 4007 or T&E 4017 Introduction to FW/RW Performance & Flying Qualities Flight Testing (2 weeks)
• T&E 4008 Introduction to Systems Testing (2 weeks).

The Flight Test Technology Short Course will:

• Describe the role of the test pilot and flight test engineer along with an explanation of the different types of flight tests including R&D, DT&E, and OT&E
• Detail the requirements process and the typical test management issues such as budget management, contractor business environment, schedule management, resources planning, and test item configuration control
• Cover the Report Writing guidelines, Human Factors and Cockpit Evaluation, Test Planning, Risk Management, Safety in Flight Test, Data Analysis, and Certification Standards
• Introduce the key concepts of performance, stability and control and handling qualities, system testing, flight test instrumentation data handling, as well as a working knowledge of FAA and military specifications pertaining to piloted aircraft
• Explain the flight test techniques of performance, flying qualities, and avionics flight that will provide students with a firm understanding and background necessary to participate immediately in any flight test program upon return to their respective organizations
• Provide practical in-flight tests: the students participate in several flights as flight test engineers, gathering data for post-flight analysis. The students will learn how to present their findings and recommendations on both mission suitability and regulatory compliance in an oral report to the staff

There are no formal prerequisites for attendance at this course. Familiarity with algebra and personal computer operation (including word processing, spreadsheet, and chart making) is helpful.