Profession flight test engineer

Flight test engineers work with other systems engineers to plan the tests in detail and to make sure that the recording systems are installed for the required data parameters. They analyse the data collected during test flights and produce reports for individual test phases and for the final flight test. They are also responsible for the safety of the test operations.

Personality Type

• Investigative / Realistic
• Realistic / Investigative

Knowledge

• Aviation meteorology

  Understand aviation meteorology to deal with the impact of weather on air traffic management (ATM). Understand how thorough changes in pressure and temperature values at airports can create variations in head and tail-wind components, and may impose low visibility operating conditions. Knowledge of aviation meteorology can help to reduce negative impact on the ATM system by diminishing disruption and the consequent problems of disturbed flow rates, lost capacity and induced additional costs.

• Manufacturing processes

  The steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.

• Technical drawings

  Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.

• Engineering processes

  The systematic approach to the development and maintenance of engineering systems.

• Industrial engineering

  The field of engineering concerned with the development, improvement, and implementation of complex processes and systems of knowledge, people, equipment, etc.

• Production processes

  Materials and techniques required in the production and distribution processes.

• Aircraft flight control systems

  Know the setting, features and operation of aircraft flight control systems. Manage flight control surfaces, cockpit controls, connections, and operating mechanisms required to control the flight direction of an aircraft. Operate aircraft engine controls in order to change aircraft speed.

• Common aviation safety regulations

  The body of legislation and regulations that apply to the field of civil aviation at regional, national, European and International levels. Understand that regulations aimed at protecting citizens at all times in civil aviation; ensure that operators, citizens, and organisations comply with these rules.

• Engineering principles

  The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.

Skills

• Perform scientific research

  Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.

• Use technical drawing software

  Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.

• Operate two-way radio systems

  Use radios that can receive and transmit sound signals in order to communicate with similar radios on the same frequency such as mobile phones and walkie talkies.

• Adjust engineering designs

  Adjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.

• Analyse test data

  Interpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.

• Operate radio navigation instruments

  Operate radio navigation instruments to determine the position of aircraft in the airspace.

• Approve engineering design

  Give consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.

• Ensure aircraft compliance with regulation

  Ensure that every aircraft complies with applicable regulation and all components and equipment have officially valid components.

• Oversee aircraft sensors and recording systems

  Supervise the installation of the aircraft sensors and recording systems during the flight tests to ensure that they meet required data paramaters.

• Plan test flights

  Draft the test plan by describing manoeuvre-by-manoeuvre for each test flight in order to measure take-off distances, rate of climb, stall speeds, manoeuvrability and landing capacities.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB