Week 3 - january 24 to 30

So we finally got introduced to aerodynamics. The course was scaring to some of the electrical engineers, but everyone made it !
We got to do more Cessna flights (but not too much due to some mechanical problems on the aircrafts), and some of the pilots did their first solo flights.
We also got some insight of what the "performance phase" will be like (basically, the next 3 month), but arre still waiting to do our first "flight test techniques"

Next week, we will move to "compressible aerodynamics" and some of the engineers may do their first familiarisation ride in the C12, prelude to the "mission director" flight.

Week 2 - january 17 to 23

Second week of study, and we finally got to some concrete action. We got the "intro to statistic" course, and some of us were relieved when we finally got to the end of it. Although we still had to do the "at home exam", and I believe it took some hours out of most people's week-end !
But we also got to fly ! Engineers went to south base to fly the Cessna C172 and the pilots begun their flights in their datagroup aircraft (F16, C12 or T38).
Alas, the availability of the C172 was much lower than expected and some of the engineer will have to wait until next week to do their first flight.

Next week, we will begin the performance phase, which will last for about 3 to 4 months, with "intro to aero" academics, and more flying.

Week 1 - january 11 to 18

That was the second week at TPS, but the first did not count, so there we where, all students with theirs spouses to the "orientation day". We all learned some thing or another, and our spouses got to see what our first week had been like : briefing, break, briefings, and more briefings, .... We had a nice lunch all together and we students headed back to the auditorium for 4 more hours of briefings. Yummy !!!
The reminder of the week gave us some ground school on the different aircraft we will fly in the next months (the T38, C12 and F16), and, not to be forgotten, intro to Matlab !

C12

F16

T38

 

Matlab will be a major software for us to use during the year, and fortunately, some us actually know how to use it !
Then we had a three days week-end, ending monday with a nice BBQ at Bullpup's house. Thanks again for that, Chris !

Next week, we will start flying(C172 for the engineers and T38 and F16 or C12 for the pilots), and we will have "Boomer" telling us everything about statistics

 

Cessna C172

Week 0 - january 3 to 10

First of all, let me introduce you class 11A : 11 pilots, 12 engineers, including one from Canada and one from France, and one WSO (weapon and system operator). We will spend 48 weeks here at Edwards Air Force Base, California, studying hard, flying a lot, to become Flight Test Engineer and Experimental Test Pilots.
This first week at TPS is not really part of the curriculum (which is why it is called "Week 0").
We had to go through a good number of briefs : safety briefs, welcome brief, buddy care brief, equal opportunity brief, ...some were interesting, other were funny, and some... mandatory.
A few pics from the survival training

Survival briefs were the most fun. We got to learn how to pick edible fish species from the sea. I just wonder what kind of fishes survives the desert climate we have here ? (true enough, the lakebeds are, so far, just lakes, and rather big ones). But we may deal with this kind of environnement when we go to our filed trips in a few months.

The week ended with a few social events :  Thirsty Thrusday, at Jeremy and Renee's was a good chance to improve our G tolerance...hem, no, I meant our alcool tolerance !
First friday got eveyone together : class 10B, our senior class,some of the instructors, Colonel Zamot (TPS' commander) and his wife, and of course 11A, complete with spouses and kids ! The night was starting well !!!
Later in the evening, we let our spouses take care of the child and went to colonel Zamot's house for our first roof stomp ! We were warmly invited to come in and JT soon found the fridge !

We all had a geat time.

Saturday morning was the road rally, organized by the 10B class. After 2hours racing across the base to find all the ceckpoint, we found out that we were decent navigators, with a good help from the GPS to be honest. We then shared a lunch made for us by 10B spouses. Thank you, that was delicious !!!

After all these events, sunday was dedicated to family time, before going back to business.

Coming on next week : more briefs, C12, F16 and T38 ground shool, egress training, ....