Production Test Pilot Rating

[che ci dō che ci dō!]

Hi everybody!

Does any of you know what is the rating required by the JAA regulation for a pilot to undertake post maintenance and acceptance test flights on JAR25 airplanes? FAA regulations provides the "production test pilot rating" but I couldn't find anything about that into the JAR documentation.

Thanks!

[Genghis the Engineer]

I don't believe that any such rating exists - such a "rating" is in practice a procedure approved by the national authority / EASA within the company handbook (/ exposition / procedures manual) of either the operating or maintenance company. If you are currently flying for a company, the best thing to do is speak to either whoever is currently flying those tests, or the fleet technical manager - they should know what the local procedures are.

G

[kingoftheslipstream]

In my experience production test flying was carried out by pilots employed by the manufacturer. They were usually ex military or civil qualified test pilots trained by ETPS or USAF or similar institutions.

Post maintenance test flying was sponsored by a company, ie: an airline and they just appoint line drivers with experience/interest/background to do post mtce test flights. No special endorsement or rating required.

[BrasiliaCaptain]

I took a Technical Pilot Course at the National Test Pilot School. It is geared for, among others, production test pilots. There were two European JAR-certified guys there, and neither was given a rating or endorsement, just our graduation certificates and a bill. It was a pretty neat course. I hope this helps.

[idle stop]

Perhaps we can have some clarification by our French and German brethren?
I believe that a Test Pilot Rating (Class 1 / 2) exists nationally in these countries. As a graduate tp and one of the few practising 'independent' rotary test pilots, it grieves me that in our CAA-regulated part of JARland there is no rotary 'class' rating and that the French/German tp's class rating (if I understand it correctly) is unlikely to find its way into EASA-FCL. So can normally only work in aircraft on which type rated and current, which can add an impossible amount to the quote. Makes one think that, even approaching retirement in a few years, it's worth now getting a FAA Licence.
Hobbyhorse to stable.
Agree with production tp training. I think ETPS is now offering course as well as NTPS.

[HOSS 1]

No More

The Germans HAD tp1 and tp2 ratings. But since the JAA standardization they are now just bragging ratings. A few of my co-workers still have the paper, but in reality, it means little (other than to stroke their immense ego)

[Genghis the Engineer]

Whilst I can certainly see Idle Stop's point about allowing a rotary TP (with some form of class rating) to fly aircraft on which he doesn't hold a type rating for true T&E purposes, I can't quite see how you'd make a generic "production test pilot" rating work: consider for example Airbus, AWH, Diamond, BNG.... Whilst there are certainly similarities to each organisation's production flight test requirements, to create a syllabus and qualification that would encompass everybody's needs would be incredibly expensive and cumbersome. The current approach of an experienced and type-qualified pilot within the company being approved by local procedures agreed with the authority seems to make a lot more sense.

G

[Ultranomad]

In Czech Republic, it's also a national rating - or two, to be exact: one for production test flights only and one unlimited.

[CirrusF]

consider for example Airbus, AWH, Diamond, BNG

Not JAR25, but just out of interest, most of the guys who do the production testing at Diamond just hold a PPL. They're on the whole engineers and technicians who have designed and built the aircraft and are paid as such, rather than as pilots, so no need even for a CPL. There are, of course, TPs doing the development flying who have been through TP training.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Fairly normal for a light single manufacturer I think - and a process with a (fairly) good track record.

Out of interest, what training and evaluation do Diamond require? Presumably not TPS?

G