safetypee & john_tullamarine,
I think I have somehow gotten the wrong impression across. It's the limitations of a text based forum I suppose. Maybe I am a bit brash, but certainly not crazy or dumb. Never meant to sound offensive or imply that I thought myself better or more in tune than anyone else. I just took offense to comments regarding a job I take very seriously and am very proud of. Even if it did not come across that way.
I have never been a part of any aircraft testing accomplished with reckless abandon. All has been carefully thought out and planned. None of the test pilots at the helm with the exception of one (he was not to even think about touching the controls only there to fill the two pilot requirements and learn) had less than 30 years of flying experience. Most of the time as Flight Test DERs, never as line pilots.
Every single team member takes what we do seriously. There are just some aspects of flight testing that is going to appear crazy, reckless and dangerous to anyone. Somebody still has to do it (Probably why they get paid $1000 dollars per flight hour). There is only so much planning and theorizing you can do before you have to get up there and do it. There is only so much you can do to be safe when you stall an airplane, do abuse takeoffs and landings and dive test, etc.
I was on a proof test for an airline to remain unnamed where the chief 727 pilot wanted to stall the airplane with the changes we did to the wings to see how it reacted. We planned, he spent lots of time in the sim because it had been a long time since he stalled anything and we had both an FAA test pilot and another private DER test pilot, all with over 25 years of flying each. When we went up and the test pilots let him take over he performed the stall only to have one wing break first and we rolled almost completely over. The chief pilot lost it and let go of the controls and literally screamed for the guy sitting next to him to take over and recover the airplane. Obviously he did or we would not be having this conversation which brings up my next point.
If our methods are so reckless why am I still doing it after 20 years. Not only in the USA either.
Safetypee – You must no have read to closely as I indicated that I have done both aftermarket and manufacture flight testing which should answer your question as to where I do or have called home.
By the way, Boeing has never killed anyone in a flight test of a commercial aircraft whereas Airbus has. They have had a few hull loses (whomever the idiot was that thought they could land 747s at Renton Field would be one). But not for a very long time.
I have just seen the video of the abuse takeoffs and landings for the new 777-300ER. Boy, sure looked daring to me and though the pilot was a female I hear she carries them around in a wheel barrow as well.
