Originally Posted by Affirmatron
Ghengis
Does that mean if I've got a PPL, and some muggins pays me to fly in an aircraft and give him my advice/opinion, then I'd be a Test Pilot? Does it mean that I don't even have to be an Engineer, or have done ANY engineering training to be a FTE?
I think the ACCREDITATION element provides a recognised skills set that allows an individual to prove they have (or don't have) the required skills to pass a course that is seen as the 'industry standard'. Otherwise, ANYBODY could set themselves up as a TP/FTE without formal qualifications. How could that be right? In most professions there is a REQUIREMENT to be ACCREDITED to professional body, to have completed training to a set standard. Without ACCREDITATION, there is no credibility.
As I said earlier, what is accreditation?
The world is full of people who have conducted test flying without formal training or qualifications. I've met a few who, in my opinion at-least, should be quickly locked up before they do any real damage. On the other hand a great many are extremely competent and well trained (whether formally or informally).
The bottom line will rest then with those employing them and accepting their work. This is how most of the world (and in fact most other professions) operate.
In the UK, where I work most of the time, anybody without any formal qualifications can set themselves up and call themselves an Engineer. In the USA, anybody can design build themselves an ultralight, with no design knowledge, then test fly it, without any flight test knowledge - without any external oversight in either case. It's an imperfect world!
In most countries however, the system is broadly that "the authorities" have to formally accept work from somebody (test flying, engineering, whatever), and you can assume that in most countries that system of approval (to conduct or submit work) is pretty rigorous - although it may not involve formal qualifications.
G