Possible routes of Becoming a test pilot for me!!
Educated Hillbilly
Joined: Dec 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
From: From the Hills
ICT SLB,
Yes you are correct there are plenty of British Engineers working in the States, Boeing has always been a big employer of contract British Designers and Stress Engineers to add to your list. But in my post I am specfically referring to opportunities to work as an FTE/FTO.
Employment prospects in the UK are also good,but it just the opportunites in the specialisation of FTO/FTE are limited.
So are there any British born FTO/FTE out there whom have managed to become test pilots with a civilian flying backround, on JAR23 commuter or JAR 25 aircraft at a US/Canadian company.
Yes you are correct there are plenty of British Engineers working in the States, Boeing has always been a big employer of contract British Designers and Stress Engineers to add to your list. But in my post I am specfically referring to opportunities to work as an FTE/FTO.
Employment prospects in the UK are also good,but it just the opportunites in the specialisation of FTO/FTE are limited.
So are there any British born FTO/FTE out there whom have managed to become test pilots with a civilian flying backround, on JAR23 commuter or JAR 25 aircraft at a US/Canadian company.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
From: Nirvana South
"But in my post I am specfically referring to opportunities to work as an FTE/FTO."
Flyer,
So am I - our Chief FTE is an ex-brat and one of our recent FTE recruits used to maintain & test Typhoon. I left out the Lazy B because, while I worked there for nearly 5 years, it wasn't in Flight Test.
I guess my point is that this is an international business with few real borders where anyone who's been working in FT (or wants to be) often knows people on both sides of the pond. This is especially true if they're working for the "authorities", who seem to be more mobile than us company guys. Even our respected moderator has been known to visit the Air Capital from his aerie on Salisbury Plain but unfortunately I wasn't in the office that day.
Flyer,
So am I - our Chief FTE is an ex-brat and one of our recent FTE recruits used to maintain & test Typhoon. I left out the Lazy B because, while I worked there for nearly 5 years, it wasn't in Flight Test.
I guess my point is that this is an international business with few real borders where anyone who's been working in FT (or wants to be) often knows people on both sides of the pond. This is especially true if they're working for the "authorities", who seem to be more mobile than us company guys. Even our respected moderator has been known to visit the Air Capital from his aerie on Salisbury Plain but unfortunately I wasn't in the office that day.
Educated Hillbilly
Joined: Dec 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
From: From the Hills
ICT,
That is encouraging to hear that we are doing more than stress and design over the water; the aviation circle is a small world. I did have the opportunity to work as an FTO, but as a frozen ATPL holder the FTO position in my own circumstance was realistically never going to allow me to progress to be a test pilot (hardly surprising); I was better off returning to my original specialisation as a contaractor in order to fund further ratings on the commercial flying side.
Anyway back to the point, as you suggest ICT there are fantastic opportunites out there to work as an FTE, but for our young friend after advice here if he doesn't go down the military route then he will at some stage in my opinion need to choose between FTO or Commercial Pilot, it is a slim chance (near but not impossible) to combine the two.
That is encouraging to hear that we are doing more than stress and design over the water; the aviation circle is a small world. I did have the opportunity to work as an FTO, but as a frozen ATPL holder the FTO position in my own circumstance was realistically never going to allow me to progress to be a test pilot (hardly surprising); I was better off returning to my original specialisation as a contaractor in order to fund further ratings on the commercial flying side.
Anyway back to the point, as you suggest ICT there are fantastic opportunites out there to work as an FTE, but for our young friend after advice here if he doesn't go down the military route then he will at some stage in my opinion need to choose between FTO or Commercial Pilot, it is a slim chance (near but not impossible) to combine the two.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: in the sky
PHF
Just wanted to know where you did your training and if integrated and what your experience has been in trying to get that first F/O job and your PM was a good insight into the industry.
Jas
Just wanted to know where you did your training and if integrated and what your experience has been in trying to get that first F/O job and your PM was a good insight into the industry.
Jas
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 14,480
Likes: 178
From: UK
I guess my point is that this is an international business with few real borders where anyone who's been working in FT (or wants to be) often knows people on both sides of the pond. This is especially true if they're working for the "authorities", who seem to be more mobile than us company guys. Even our respected moderator has been known to visit the Air Capital from his aerie on Salisbury Plain but unfortunately I wasn't in the office that day.
).That said, sorry I missed you in my week in sunny Wichita a couple of years back, would have been good to put a face to the name.
G
