Categories of TPs
Early flight testing determined whether a design could or could not fly. More often it would not fly and the testing often proved fatal to the would be pilot. Gradually the basic elements of flight and the control of aircraft began to be understood but there remains to this day some unexplored and little understood areas for further research and development.
Flight testing has become divided into two principal areas. Firstly there is Experimental Flight Testing for the purpose of developing original aircraft designs and associated systems into satisfactory end products suitable for their purposes. Secondly there is Production and Maintenance Flight testing to determine that developed aircraft fly and perform to already established specifications.
The pilot most suitable for production and maintenance flight testing has to be as experienced as possible on the aircraft type and able to safely assess the often subtle differences between the performance and handling of existing designs and systems.
The Experimental Test Pilot is required to have special attributes. The broadest of flying experience is fundamental. Additionally he/she must be specially trained in the wide range of flight testing techniques and methods, have a detailed knowledge of aeronautical engineering and an ability to accurately produce written reports on complex problems. This pilot often has the ultimate responsibility for the satisfactory performance and safe handling of a design for production. The difficulties in providing adequate experience and knowledge to the experimental test pilot has led to specialisation. Unfortunately specialisation narrows experience in other areas but is a consequence of an ever widening base of aviation knowledge and technology.
Often an experimental test pilot will be called upon to fill both roles. Production or maintenance test pilots cannot be reliably used for experimental flight testing except for elementary purposes.