Originally Posted by Affirmatron
easyPilot
I don't see why what I said was incorrect, everything in it is TRUE. Trust me, some people have done it this way. Getting into a niche area, is largely bull$hit and bluster, and anybody that tells you otherwise is lying.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, my Nan could call herself an FTE or TP if she wanted to. I thought people might want to know that there are many people working in the industry without formal qualifications/accreditation, which might alter the way you think about spending your own money and time getting qualifications that aren't needed; perhaps the MOST useful information.
And if people can't filter the chaff of humour from the evidence of facts, maybe they shouldn't be in Flight Test in the first place.
There's a story in Enid Blighton's book "Five go mad in Flight Test Engineering" (a brilliant read by the way), about a boy who ran away from home to a Flight Test School. He was chopped but later went on to become CTP of the inner galactic quadrant. And a moderator. An over zealous one.
You do raise a good point there actually Affirm - There is a lot of difference between one 'CTP' and another 'CTP'. I know of some (no names obviously) who delight in using that title but don't realise quite how comical the genuine test community find it/them.
I definitely think there is room for banter here - it happens at work with colleagues, anyone who is genuinely involved in flight test experiences it (to some degree or other) - it's what helps us keep our sanity.
As to the original question, I took a similar route to Matthew Parsons.
Ray :-)
And 'big picture' wise - remember that this is not the 'Test Community', it's a website where anyone can claim to be anything - there is some good gen, but be weary of 'empty vessels........". Affirmatron is closer to the truth than some would care to face up to.