- National Test Pilot School
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The National Test Pilot School (NTPS) is a civilian test pilot school located at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. The school attracts students primarily from commercial aircraft manufacturers and military air forces. NTPS offers a variety of courses for both test pilots and flight test engineers, ranging from 3-day specialty seminars to year-long Master's Degree courses, through the associated National Flight Test Institute. To provide a "hands-on" flight test environment, the school operates a fleet of over 40 aircraft, ranging from Cessna 150s to the supersonic SAAB Draken fighter.
The school was established in 1981 by retired test pilot Sean Roberts to fill a need for an institution that catered to non-military test pilots. In February, 1994, the National Flight Test Institute was established as the degree-granting branch of NTPS. Test Pilot Instructors at NTPS, apart from their vast experience as test pilots, are also extremely experienced instructors as they typically remain at NTPS for many years. NTPS trains test pilot students and flight test engineers to both civilian and military specifications and has a strong standing in systems testing.
Fleet
- AM3 Bosbok
- Aermacchi MB-326
- Beechcraft Bonanza
- Beechcraft Duchess
- Bell OH-58 Kiowa
- Bell 212
- Bell UH-1N Twin Huey
- Cessna 150
- Cessna 152
- Cessna 172
- Cessna 441
- Cirrus SR22
- de Havilland DH.104 Dove
- de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain
- Hughes 369 Cayuse
- Gippsland GA8 Airvan
- NDN Firecracker
- LET L-13 Blaník
- Piper PA-24 Comanche
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee
- Saab 35 Draken
- North American Sabreliner
- Sikorsky S-55 Chicksaw
- Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
See also
- Empire Test Pilots' School
- EPNER
- U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
- United States Naval Test Pilot School
References
- School's website
- "National Test Pilot School celebrates 20th Anniversary". All Aviation Flightline Online. http://www.aafo.com/news/testpilot_092401.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
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Categories:- Test pilots
- Aviation schools
- Mojave Air & Space Port
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