Professional Course Modules

 There are fifteen stand-alone, one-week academic modules in the Professional Course.  Students not requiring the flight training may enroll in any of the academic-only module(s) separately.  Three credit units are awarded for successful completion of each module, leading towards the National Flight Test Institute’s Masters Degree in Flight Test and Evaluation.  It is also possible for engineers to enroll in the academic module and then to participate in the flight exercises during the following weeks to get the practical experience of planning, data gathering and analysis, and reporting.

Professional Long Course Introduction.  A broad look at the factors involved in conducting a flight test program, including job functions, human factors, test planning, safety, data analysis and reporting. All of these elements are tied together when the student plans, conducts, and reports on a cockpit suitability evaluation performed on a real aircraft.  This course is taught twice a year, in early January and July.

Test Management /Operational Test and Evaluation.  A one-week course designed to provide an overview of the flight test and evaluation process and to examine, in detail, the subjects necessary to manage T&E programs. The course is offered to members of government and industry who are either directly involved with managing flight test programs/projects; interface directly with a flight test program and need to understand T&E management issues; and/or are program office personnel who oversee flight test programs. The subject matter is useful for anyone involved with the management of either DT&E or OT&E. 

Performance Flight Testing I.  An intensive overview of the methods used to make performance evaluations of propeller driven aircraft. Emphasis is placed on subsonic aerodynamics, pitot-statics and reciprocating engine theory.  Cruise performance testing methods for propeller aircraft is stressed.  Takeoff and landing theory and flight test methods for all types of aircraft is also covered.  This course is taught once a year in late July.

Performance Flight Testing II.  A continuation of the theory and flight test techniques employed during the performance evaluations of propeller-driven aircraft. An intensive overview of the methods used to make cruise performance evaluations of turbine and jet powered aircraft. Emphasis is placed on supersonic aerodynamics and turbine/jet engine theory.  Climb performance testing for all types of aircraft is also taught.  This course is taught once a year in August.

FAA Aircraft Certification Procedures. Elements of Introduction to Flight Test (T&E4001) and Test Management /Operational Test and Evaluation (T&E4002) with emphasis on FAA regulations and procedures for certification of civil aircraft. Open to FAA personnel only. 

Flying Qualities Flight Testing I.  An intensive overview of the methods used to make static stability determinations of aircraft. Subjects include the regulatory requirements and flight test techniques involved to determine the longitudinal, lateral, directional, maneuvering, and flight path stability of single and multi-engine aircraft. Included is a brief explanation of mechanical flight control systems, Mach effects on stability and control, and roll performance. This course is taught once a year in early September.

Flying Qualities Flight Testing II.  An intensive overview of the methods used to make dynamic stability determinations of aircraft. Subjects include aircraft equations of motion, dynamics requirements and flight test techniques, coupling dynamics, closed-loop handling qualities and spins. Included is a brief review of matrices, vectors, axis transforms, differential equations, and Laplace transforms. This course is taught once a year in late September.

Flight Vehicle Structures and Loads.  An extensive review of vehicle structures, loads and flutter testing takes the student from basic properties of materials through advanced instrumentation methods for determining flutter regions and divergence. Industry standards for determining loads limits and freedom from flutter are addressed as well as possible ways for obtaining required data in a limited amount of flight time. A study of the instrumentation installation on a MB-326 aircraft enhances the students’ knowledge of the correct test methods for in-flight loads determination. This course is taught once a year in late March.

Helicopter Performance Flight Testing I
An intensive overview of the analytical theory and procedures used to evaluate performance characteristics of helicopters. Emphasis is placed on subsonic aerodynamics, rotor blade aerodynamics, pitot static system performance, hover performance, vertical climb performance and level flight performance.

Helicopter Performance Flight Testing II
This course is a continuation of the intensive overview of theory and flight-test techniques employed during the evaluation of helicopter performance characteristics.  Emphasis is placed on turboshaft engine performance, climb and descent performance, takeoff and landing performance, and the performance characteristics of multi-engine helicopters.  (Prerequisite: Successful completion of T&E 4111).

Helicopter Flying Qualities Flight Testing I
An intensive overview of helicopter equations of motion, static stability characteristics, and engine failure characteristics.  Subjects include an introduction to mathematical analysis techniques, theory and flight test procedures to evaluate helicopter static stability characteristics, and engine failure characteristics evaluation procedures.  Also included is a brief introduction to mechanical flight control systems and closed loop handling qualities.

Helicopter Flying Qualities Flight Testing II
An intensive overview of the theory and test procedures to evaluate helicopter dynamic stability, controllability, low speed flight characteristics, and ground handling.  Subjects include analysis of helicopter dynamic motion, airworthiness certification requirements and flight test techniques for dynamic stability and low speed flight, automatic flight control systems, ground handling test methodology, and closed-loop handling qualities testing.  (Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of T&E 4113)

Flight Controls and Simulation.  A one-week, theoretical study of linear-control-system analysis, practically reinforced with the use of a variable stability, flight-control simulator.  The techniques of Root Locus, Bode Plots and Block-Diagram Algebra are used.  In addition, Frequency Domain Testing and Parameter Identification are briefly covered.  This course is taught once a year in mid-October.

Introduction to Avionics and Weapons Systems Flight Testing.  This course provides the ground work for all subsequent systems modules.  This module is designed to provide the “big picture” of Systems testing.  The course identifies the differences between systems and vehicle testing with emphasis on digital architecture. The module provides a review of Electronics, Electromagnetics and Antennas prior to describing A/C systems. Classroom instruction is reinforced with in-class exercises and an available flight demonstration lab (T&E 4201a) and flight evaluation (T&E 4211).  

Workload Demonstration Flight Lab  This flight lab demonstrates the correct Flight Test Techniques for evaluating aircrew workload. The student will participate in an instructor-led exercise demonstrating the techniques taught during T&E 4201. This 1.3 hour flight will expose the student to Subjective Rating Scales, the Bedford Rating Scale and pilot spare capacity during secondary and tertiary tasking while evaluating a primary function. This lab is available during the T&E 4201 course to provide maximum training benefit.

Communications, Navigation, and Global Positioning Systems Flight Testing.  This course provides the student with an understanding of Avionic Communications and Navigation equipment, their modes of operation and the procedures for evaluating this equipment.

Radio Aids to Navigation and GPS Demonstration Flight Labs  This flight lab demonstrates the correct Flight Test Techniques for evaluating Radio Aids to Navigation (either VOR/DME or TACAN) and Global Positioning System accuracy testing. The student will participate in an instructor-led exercise demonstrating the techniques taught during T&E 4202. This 1.5 hour flight will expose the student to Range and Bearing accuracy testing of a new or upgraded A/C VOR or TACAN system and a method of evaluating the accuracy of a GPS system. The lab will stress geometries, flight planning, types of data to be collected and the analysis required for a typical evaluation. This lab is available during the T&E 4202 course to provide maximum training benefit.

Part 23/25 Civil Certification. The primary emphasis in this academic module will on the evaluation of civil avionics systems and the means of showing compliance with the applicable Federal or Joint Regulations. Since many of the civilian requirements are now applicable in military aircraft, this module is especially important for those individuals involved with showing military compliance with these civil requirements

Flight Test of RADAR and Electronic Warfare Systems .  The basic concept and modes of operation as well as RADAR fundamentals are explained in detail. The course is designed to assist the student in the development and test of airborne RADAR systems. The student is afforded hands-on operation of the Camber Corporation RADAR toolkit. This simulation is a complex, real-world, energy level model of the emitted radio transmissions and incorporates a digital terrain database to show the student effects of changing RADAR parameters on RADAR performance.

RADAR Demonstration Flight Lab.  This flight lab demonstrates the correct Flight Test Techniques for evaluating an airborne ground-mapping RADAR. The student will participate in an instructor-led exercise demonstrating the techniques taught during T&E 4204. This 1.5 hour flight will expose the student to BIT, warm-up time, Controls and Displays, WX, Real-beam, MTI, stabilization, Field-of-regard, detection ranges, resolution and accuracies. The lab will stress geometries, flight planning, types of data to be collected and the analysis required for a typical evaluation. This lab is available during the T&E 4204 course to provide maximum training benefit.

Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground Weapons Integration.  This module begins with an overview and description of Mil-Std-1760D, Interface Standard for Aircraft/Store Electrical Interconnection System as the baseline for Weapons Integration. The proper evaluation of a Stores Management System is covered in detail by using specific test cases. A generic set of evaluation guidelines is presented for Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground weapons testing, and no less than 20 weapons types are presented as examples.

Electro-optic and Infrared Systems Flight Testing.  A review of basic Infra-red and Electro-optic theory focuses on the application of these theories. The initial portion of the course reviews radiation theory while the remainder presents a detailed analysis of typical active and passive Electro-optical systems components. The instruction stresses the most correct and efficient means of evaluating these systems and predicting systems performance in both ground and flight environments.

FLIR Demonstration Flight Lab.  This flight lab demonstrates the correct Flight Test Techniques for evaluating a Forward Looking Infra-red System (FLIR). The student will participate in an instructor-led exercise demonstrating the techniques taught during T&E 4207. This .8 hour flight will expose the student to the effects of atmospherics, target type, target aspect, time of day and approach heading on the range predictions accomplished during T&E 4207. The lab will stress geometries, flight planning, types of data to be collected and the analysis required for a typical evaluation. This lab is available during the T&E 4207 course to provide maximum training benefit.

Night Vision Imaging System Evaluation Techniques To perform an evaluation of a night vision imaging system (NVIS) requires knowledge of night vision goggles (NVGs), NVG-compatible interior and exterior lighting, and the integration of these components in the aircraft.

Night Vision Imaging System Flight Demonstration Lab  To perform an evaluation of a night vision imaging system (NVIS) requires knowledge of night vision goggles (NVGs), NVG-compatible interior and exterior lighting, and the integration of these components in the aircraft. To place the night vision imaging system in context and to reinforce material presented in the NVIS Evaluation Techniques course, the student will wear and use NVGs while flying in an aircraft modified with NVIS lighting. 

Night Vision Imaging System Flight and Laboratory Evaluation During the course, ground and flight evaluations will be conducted using an operationally representative NVIS-modified aircraft. After being given an evaluation assignment, the student will develop data cards for both laboratory and flight evaluations. For the laboratory evaluation the student will set-up test equipment, gather data, and analyze the findings. The findings will be used to structure the flight evaluation, which will be conducted by an NVIS test pilot. After completion of all testing, the student will analyze the data, determine conclusions and recommendations, and report the findings.

Workload Data Flight Exercise.  This exercise is the culmination of the knowledge obtained in T&E 4201 and T&E 4201a. The student will demonstrate the correct Flight Test Techniques for evaluating aircrew workload by preparing flight test cards and conducting an airborne workload evaluation based on a tasking provided by the instructor. The student will be responsible for organizing the flight brief, evaluating Test Hazard Analysis, conducting the mission, collecting and analyzing flight data and pilot comments and conducting the de-brief. The student will be responsible for preparing an oral report highlighting the results of his/her findings. This 1.3 hour flight and subsequent report will gauge the student’s comprehension of the instruction received in the previous modules. This exercise is available during the week after the T&E 4201 course to provide maximum training benefit.

Navigation, GPS, and INS Flight Exercises.  This exercise is the culmination of the knowledge obtained in T&E 4202 and T&E 4202a. The student will demonstrate the correct Flight Test Techniques for evaluating Communication and Navigation Systems by preparing flight test cards and conducting airborne flight evaluations based on tasking provided by the instructor. The student will be responsible for organizing the flight brief, evaluating Test Hazard Analysis, conducting the mission, collecting and analyzing flight data and pilot comments and conducting the de-brief. The student will be responsible for preparing an oral report highlighting the results of his/her findings. Students will be assigned three tasks during this module, requiring three evaluation flights.

Civil Certification Project.  Student will be tasked to accomplish a Certification Project on an unknown aircraft. The aircraft will be assigned by the instructor during the T&E 4203 and will be accomplished in a simulator (Long Beach, CA, Grand Prairie, TX or Ft. Worth, TX). Students will work as a group and be approved by the Instructor during a Test Review Board (TRB) and safety considerations will be addressed during the Safety Review Board (SRB). Groups will report their findings in an Oral and Written Report. This module satisfies the requirements of T&E 4220, Integrated Systems Final Project.

RADAR System Evaluation Flight Exercise.  This exercise is the culmination of the knowledge obtained in T&E 4204. The student will demonstrate the correct Flight Test Techniques for predicting and evaluating RADAR performance. The student will be responsible for organizing the flight brief, evaluating Test Hazard Analysis, conducting the mission, collecting and analyzing flight data and pilot comments and conducting the de-brief. The student will be responsible for preparing an oral report highlighting the results of his/her findings. Students will be assigned a single task during this module, requiring one evaluation flight.

Real-time Analysis of Weapons Accuracy TM Exercise  This exercise is the culmination of the knowledge obtained in T&E 4206. The student will act as a member of a test team performing real-time control of a weapons accuracy test flight utilizing the NTPS telemetry system. As test conductor or test analyst, the student will be responsible for the real-time control and conduct of the flight and attempt to mitigate problems which may impact weapons accuracy.

FLIR/EO System Evaluation Flight Exercise  This exercise is the culmination of the knowledge obtained in T&E 4207. The student will demonstrate the correct Flight Test Techniques for predicting and evaluating FLIR/EO performance. The student will be responsible for organizing the flight brief, evaluating Test Hazard Analysis, conducting the mission, collecting and analyzing flight data and pilot comments and conducting the de-brief. The student will be responsible for preparing an oral report highlighting the results of his/her findings. Students will be tasked to evaluate an EO system for its ability to perform a specific mission. The evaluation task will be designed by the instructor and entail a performance evaluation of either a FLIR, CCTV or Laser Range Finder or a combination of these systems. The evaluation will require 6.0 hours of flight test time. The flight and subsequent report will gauge the student's comprehension of the instruction received in the previous modules. This exercise satisfies the requirements of T&E 4220.

Night Vision Imaging System Flight and Laboratory Evaluation  During the course, ground and flight evaluations will be conducted using an operationally representative NVIS-modified aircraft. After being given an evaluation assignment, the student will develop data cards for both laboratory and flight evaluations. For the laboratory evaluation the student will set-up test equipment, gather data, and analyze the findings. The findings will be used to structure the flight evaluation, which will be conducted by an NVIS test pilot. After completion of all testing, the student will analyze the data, determine conclusions and recommendations, and report the findings.

Integrated Systems Final Project   This module allows the student to apply the knowledge that he/she has obtained from the Professional Systems Course of Instruction. Working in teams, the student will be tasked to evaluate an integrated system against a mission requirement. The student will be tasked to write an Operational Requirements Document (ORD) from a tasking provided by the instructor. From that ORD the student team will produce a formal Test Plan. The Test Plan will be critiqued by the school staff during a formal Test Review Board/Safety Review Board (TRB/SRB). The team will be provided with three flights, not to exceed 6.0 hours of flight time to complete the evaluation. A formal Oral Report and Written Test Plan are required to complete this tasking. T&E 4213 and/or T&E 4217 satisfies this requirement.