Originally Posted by Milt
Airbus/Aerospatiale thought fit to qualify C Lelaie as an ETPS trained TP in 1987. Likely to be other TPs employed since then.
Absolutely. I have flown with several of them on test flights.
Originally Posted by Milt
Perhaps someone closer to Toulouse could determine the extent of the return on the investment/s which are likely to be considerable disregarding the reputational enhancement that comes from having experienced TPs involved in aircraft development and certification.
There is an overriding factor here - in France and Germany you
must have an appropriate license to conduct either class A or B flight test. In France this means recognition by either DGA or DGAC - and examination by an examiner from CEV unless your credential is recognised (i.e. ETPS, USNTPS, or USAFTPS - EPNER is automatic). Airbus, in fact, run in house courses for class B FTE (I'm not sure about TP - don't think so. They do, however, send both FTE and TP students to EPNER) and the students are examined by CEV examiners. Unless you have a test pilot's license you're not flying flight test in France. Germany is similar, I believe, but as they don't have a TPS there may be more latitude in getting a license (specultaion on my part - however I know that on several occasions I have been the only one from my organisation able to fly in one of our aircraft in Germany because it was under an experimental flight permit and there needed to be a tp at the controls - I'm told that there are things which are automatic in France that one must apply for in Germany).