Page 3 - Aerotech News and Review July 15 2016

NTPS, from 1 test pilot licensing requirements. Photographs by Linda KC Reynolds
“So, a couple of years ago, Al and
ing everything we needed to be doing; International students enrolled at the National Test Pilot School work on an aircraft as part of their curriculum. Chief
however, it made us look at ourselves the school went to work to get the cer- Operations Officer James “JB” Brown said when pilots and engineers get their hands dirty on an aircraft they get a better
under a microscope so we could make tification — it was not a trivial task,” understanding and a new appreciation for mechanics. The school recently acquired certification from the European
further improvements. We are always said Brown. The Europeans have Aviation Safety Agency to provide Test Pilot Rating.
open to improvement and to provide very stringent requirements regarding
the best training possible.” safety and how available aircraft are
to the students. “They really dig into
Brown has flown more than 130 the academic curriculum to make sure
different aircraft, has more than 9,900 we have the right people teaching and
flight hours and holds the world record also that we are testing the students to
on the most hours flown in stealth make sure they will meet the appropri-
fighters. ate standard.”

Brown said the quality of aircraft Rigel Hebmann, a former com-
and the appearance of the school has mander of the French Test Pilot
improved greatly since President and School, helped to write some of the
CEO Allen Peterson took over five regulations in Europe and is now a part
years ago. “Al runs a tight ship. The of NTPS’s staff. “Rigel has been a tre-
planes were all certified and safe, but mendous help in interpreting exactly
the fleet was somewhat outdated and what is expected from the Europeans,”
could have used some paint. Al has ac- explained Brown.
complished a significant fleet upgrade
and modernization effort to include Two audits were already conducted
GPS-based glass cockpits and the by the Europeans. “They dug through
addition of medium and high perfor- our books, flew with our instructors,
mance jets,” explained Brown. sat in on classes and wrote up a list of
requirements they needed us to update
A couple of years ago, the EASA de- before we could be certified. When
termined that civilian test pilots must they came back, those requirements
have a rating on their license and, to were met and a certification was is-
get that, they had to go to an accred- sued.” Brown said that the EASA will
ited test pilot school. However, there continue to make periodic visits to the
were no schools that were certified to school. “We look forward to their vis-
teach test pilots — not even in Europe. its because it does help us to be the
The reason the EASA went to a test best we can be.”
pilot rating was to enable test pilots to
work throughout the European Union
without having to get license/ratings
in each country and to standardize the

Knight forecasts
aerospace future,
awards medals

by Dennis Anderson
special to Aerotech News

Air Force photograph by Jet Fabara The Antelope Valley congressman who sits on both the House Armed Services
and Aerospace committees forecasts that like a future with driverless cars, the
Members of the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum along with volunteers pose with one of the last F-117s day will come in this century when air travel for commercial travel is performed
left in the United States Air Force inventory June 8, 2012. Tail number 783 was transported to Edwards from by pilotless aircraft.
Blackbird Air Park in Palmdale, Calif. The stealth aircraft will be refurbished and put on display in the future.
“In our lifetime, and our children’s we will still have piloted aircraft car-
MUSEUM, from 1 nose assembly, wing edges, and rudder edges. The rying passengers, but in our grandchildren’s, maybe not,” Rep. Steve Knight,
DLIR screen and canopy glass were replaced with R-Antelope Valley, told a group of Antelope Valley veterans.
first F-117A modified in the Single Configuration sheet metal. The FLIR screen was replaced with an
Fleet program. The four-month test series evaluated unclassified screen material. The pitot probes were Knight, who is campaigning for his second term in Congress, also predicted
an optimized RAM coating to improve maintainability replaced with replicas. The ejection seat and cockpit that the era of supersonic air travel will re-open. He told the gathering that
and RCS. Article 783 was retired in March 2007 with equipment have been removed, along with classified Lockheed Martin is working on a supersonic aircraft to be tested at Edwards
2,464.6 flight hours. avionics. Air Force Base, Calif.

To ready Article 783 for public display, volunteers For more information on how to donate, and to see “Do you remember the X-3?” he asked, referring to a slender, needle-nosed
from the 410th FLTS spent seven months removing what other aircraft are being restored, visit http://af- aircraft from the early days of the X aircraft test era. “It’s going to look some-
all radar-absorbent coatings and structures, and clas- ftcmuseum.org/get-involved/givetorestore/. thing like that.”
sified equipment then fabricating replacements using
unclassified materials. The airplane was painted in Such prototypes will contribute to development of supersonic aircraft that fly
410th Flight Test Squadron markings. fast, but much quieter than contemporary planes.

All RAM coatings were removed along with the “That sound of freedom that we hear may not sound so loud in the future,”
Knight said. “You may not hear the sound of sonic booms over (Air Force) Plant
42 in the next 20 to 30 years.”

Aircraft research and development pointing in that futuristic direction will be
supported with resources spelled out in the Aerospace Innovation Act bill that
Knight acted as one of the key sponsors. The bill, he said, “Provides a roadmap
for aerospace.”

“You need a map to know where you’re going,” he said.
Knight spoke to gatherings of area military veterans over two days at the
Coffee4Veterans weekly event hosted by restaurateur Jin Hur at Crazy Otto’s
Restaurant in downtown Lancaster, and the Antelope Valley Community Ac-
tion Coalition breakfast at Birdie’s Restaurant and Driving Range in Palmdale.
At the Lancaster event, Knight presented long overdue military medals to
Army veteran John Pelletier. Pelletier, in coat and tie, stood at attention with his
family members looking on while Knight pinned on medals for Good Conduct,
Expeditionary Service, and Korean Defense.

See KNIGHT, Page 11

July 15, 2016 Aerotech News and Review 3

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