Now may be a good time to jump back in and ask....again: "Would not the VERY BEST helo pilots be test pilots at large helo manufacturers? I don't think they'd trust their new test beds to nothing but the BEST since everything is riding on those pilots abilites and skills."
Who are these "Best of the Best?"
They are prior military pilots (at least in the US).
IMHO I'd have to say that former military-trained pilots are best since they were trained on my dime, got the best machines available, worked under more stressful conditions than most civies (bullets nipping at them and all) and had more than flying duties to take up their time each day (multi tasked outside aviation). In particular, I've personally seen former Army test and maintenance pilots as factory TPs and of course, former military fast fliers being chosen as the test pilots for fixed winged manufacturers over civilian pilots who had odles of pt A to pt B hours. What makes them overall the best? Perhaps the military pilot has the overwhelming confidence, skills and mindset to without hesitation 'take it up a notch' when requred. This translates into having flown so many hours, under so many condions at such a very high pucker factor that a hair-raiseing flight for for the 'common pilot' isn't even worth mentioning in their opinion. Just good sticks!
Last edited by Dan Reno; 7th Sep 2010 at 22:24.