Becoming a Test Pilot

[FTE Pruner]

A lot has been said above, but my view, for what it is worth:

The reality is, that you have no hope of getting a job as a test pilot inthe UK in the current climate, unless you are a graduate from a recognised testpilot school, which means you need to be military.

The number of test pilot jobs in industry is fast shrinking, and the numberof mil TP grads will easily meet the demand of the current UK T&E requirements for a longtime, so industry does not need to invest in any future capability, since thegovernment does it on their behalf.

Flight test in Europe now requires specific licensing, which now mandatesappropriate training, so on the job routes in are no longer realistic (even ifindustry did want to invest in training). I believe Isabelle self-sponsored throughETPS, but did the shorter course as a Production Test Pilot, not Experimental.An enormous achievement, but not what you have asked about. Since ONE personhas achieved this in the history of ETPS, it should give you an idea of the likelihoodof you achieving it. Still worth trying if you want it enough, but no guaranteethat Airbus, or anyone else will give you a job at the end of it.

I suggest the best route for you in the UK would be to join QinetiQ as aTrials Officer -> Get selected for ETPS FTE course (and make sure yougraduate) -> Fly and do some hours building as a normal pilot -> Move tothe USA/Canada and work as an FTE and the hope to get moved across to testpiloting when you have built enough hours.

Alternatively, get a job at somewhere like BAE Systems or Marshall Aerospaceand try to get some on the job training that will get you into FTE’ing (thenfollow the same route as above). It will take you much longer, but sinceselection on to ETPS as an FTE is not certain, it may be academic.

The future is unmanned anyway, so there might not be many test pilots left in 10 years anyway!

Good luck