BPF makes a valid point about what TPing is really like. I'd be interested in DAR's numbers, but at a rough guess I'd say that for every 90 minute test flight, I probably do 2-3 days of preparation, and at-least half a day of reporting and analysis. When I was an FTE it was several times that. Military TPs or people in big FT departments *might* half the prep time because of the larger teams sat behind them.
Also it's important to realise that a CPL and BEng are only part of the education and training needed to do the job - there's a lot more to learn on top of that. There are some good books that'll give you an idea of the material - Stinton and Askew are probably the best, but you can find FAA's AC90-89 online for free, which will give you a good idea.
It's a great job, and can be pretty intensive - but actually flying an aeroplane is quite a small part of the whole.
I actually do around 100 hours per year, but the bulk is training, getting somewhere in an aeroplane, or instructing.
G
Last edited by Genghis the Engineer; 31st Mar 2015 at 18:56.