Flight Test Engineering?

Newbie · July 8th, 2004, 22:01

Anybody here know much about this career? Not test piloting itself, but rather being part of the team that plans/coordinates/monitors/evaluates the results of flight tests.

My tentative findings so far include:

1. Engineering degree(s) required.
2. It entails more analytical wonking than flying, but flying experience is a plus (maybe even a prerequisite?), and an eventual move into the test pilot's seat is possible.

...and that's it so far. Seems like this might even be a good "in-case-I-lose-my-medical" career? Any insights?

Newbie · July 9th, 2004, 09:51

Doug,

My original posts don't go to the intro page for anyone to see...they just languish. Have I misbehaved?

Doug Taylor · July 9th, 2004, 09:57

Huh?!

Newbie · July 9th, 2004, 10:07

I thought the original post never showed up on the main (intro) page. Maybe I'm losing my mind.

Doug Taylor · July 9th, 2004, 10:15

A possibility!

It's showing up on mine, but I bet your browser is showing a 'cached' page.

TheShortOne · July 9th, 2004, 10:23

i was/am able to see your post...just don't know an answer for ya!

braidkid · July 9th, 2004, 10:51

Ahhh, flight test engineer questions.....I was a FTE for Boeing for about 2 years. Good money but I hated the job and is why I'm pursuing a career as a pilot. You will need an engineering degree. The job itself sounds A LOT more glamorous than it really is. Basically you'll write test plans and reports. Depending on the project or company you work for you will fly occasionally. For instance, I got to fly in the jumpseat of a 747 during one of our tests which was pretty cool. Other than that, you'll be spending long hours sitting in a cubicle writing test reports and more time than not you'll be sitting around with not much to do waiting for your next test to begin.

It's a great career for those intersted but wasn't the right gig for me. I know that at Cessna you have the option of moving up to a pilot slot after accumulating around 1000 hours flight time.

Newbie · July 11th, 2004, 11:54

Braidkid...looks like you might be the only one here with knowledge re this. I sent you a PM because it looked like there wasn't much interest on the board, but the recent inquiries from electrical engineers (and about engineering as a "main job" generally) might change that...maybe I shouldn't try to hog your knowledge all for myself. lol

To all the recent engineer arrivals (2 of you?)..Flight Test Engineering might be a good engineering job that puts you closely into contact with aircraft (so you sort of get your fix) and also pays well and steady enough to support the actual flying habit...and maybe eventually turns into test piloting itself at some point after accumulation of sufficient flight hours.

July 11th, 2004, 12:51

Hi Newbie I am looking into engineering myself but I don't know many careers that I could take as one, As a flight test engineer could I get the job with a bachelors or would I need a higher degree? And when you say the pay is good about how money are you talking about? Engineering sounds interesting but I really don't know about the specific jobs they take.

July 11th, 2004, 13:02

Loooking more into the big manufacturer's sites(Boeing, Airbus...), I noticed most engineering positions require hands on experience. They got some pretty interesting jobs but you would have to work for a smaller company to start out in. What kind of engineering would I need to work on avionics?

Newbie · July 12th, 2004, 00:07

Brian,

I don't really know much yet...I'm still researching everything myself. I think we'll need masters degrees, though, and my guess for avionics would be electrical engineering. I'm sort of in the same boat as you, though...fishing for info. Not sure what the career progression and pay are, yet.

braidkid · July 12th, 2004, 09:04

To be a FTE you only need a bachelors, not a masters. Master degrees in engineering are worthless in most cases. FTEs can be of all kinds of engineers: mechanical, electrical, industrial, etc....

Pay for me straight out of college a couple years ago was $45k/year. I was making close to $60k when I quit last year. If you want to transition into a flight slot you're better off going to a smaller company like Cessna, Cirrus, Raytheon, etc...
I knew FTE's working at Cessna who made the transition into a flight slot after working as an FTE for about 5 years.

Cutlass1287 · July 12th, 2004, 15:30

What is the current demand for FTE's?

braidkid · July 13th, 2004, 07:42

I couldn't really say. It's probably not as high a demand as other engineering positions because it's a little more specialized.

Cutlass1287 · July 13th, 2004, 11:58

But is it like flying, where the demand is way low? It seems that engineers in general would be in high demand. Is this true?

July 8th, 2004, 22:01	#1
Newbie Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 61	Flight Test Engineering? Anybody here know much about this career? Not test piloting itself, but rather being part of the team that plans/coordinates/monitors/evaluates the results of flight tests. My tentative findings so far include: 1. Engineering degree(s) required. 2. It entails more analytical wonking than flying, but flying experience is a plus (maybe even a prerequisite?), and an eventual move into the test pilot's seat is possible. ...and that's it so far. Seems like this might even be a good "in-case-I-lose-my-medical" career? Any insights?

July 9th, 2004, 09:51	#2
Newbie Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 61	Re: Flight Test Engineering? Doug, My original posts don't go to the intro page for anyone to see...they just languish. Have I misbehaved?

July 9th, 2004, 09:57	#3
Doug Taylor Agent Smith Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: KSDL Posts: 41,926 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Flight Test Engineering? Huh?!

July 9th, 2004, 10:07	#4
Newbie Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 61	Re: Flight Test Engineering? I thought the original post never showed up on the main (intro) page. Maybe I'm losing my mind.

July 9th, 2004, 10:15	#5
Doug Taylor Agent Smith Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: KSDL Posts: 41,926 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Flight Test Engineering? A possibility! It's showing up on mine, but I bet your browser is showing a 'cached' page.

July 9th, 2004, 10:23	#6
TheShortOne Old Skool Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Park City, UT Posts: 3,602	Re: Flight Test Engineering? i was/am able to see your post...just don't know an answer for ya!

July 9th, 2004, 10:51	#7
braidkid Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 556	Re: Flight Test Engineering? Ahhh, flight test engineer questions.....I was a FTE for Boeing for about 2 years. Good money but I hated the job and is why I'm pursuing a career as a pilot. You will need an engineering degree. The job itself sounds A LOT more glamorous than it really is. Basically you'll write test plans and reports. Depending on the project or company you work for you will fly occasionally. For instance, I got to fly in the jumpseat of a 747 during one of our tests which was pretty cool. Other than that, you'll be spending long hours sitting in a cubicle writing test reports and more time than not you'll be sitting around with not much to do waiting for your next test to begin. It's a great career for those intersted but wasn't the right gig for me. I know that at Cessna you have the option of moving up to a pilot slot after accumulating around 1000 hours flight time.

July 11th, 2004, 11:54	#8
Newbie Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 61	Re: Flight Test Engineering? Braidkid...looks like you might be the only one here with knowledge re this. I sent you a PM because it looked like there wasn't much interest on the board, but the recent inquiries from electrical engineers (and about engineering as a "main job" generally) might change that...maybe I shouldn't try to hog your knowledge all for myself. lol To all the recent engineer arrivals (2 of you?)..Flight Test Engineering might be a good engineering job that puts you closely into contact with aircraft (so you sort of get your fix) and also pays well and steady enough to support the actual flying habit...and maybe eventually turns into test piloting itself at some point after accumulation of sufficient flight hours.

July 11th, 2004, 12:51	#9
Lurker Posts: n/a	Re: Flight Test Engineering? Hi Newbie I am looking into engineering myself but I don't know many careers that I could take as one, As a flight test engineer could I get the job with a bachelors or would I need a higher degree? And when you say the pay is good about how money are you talking about? Engineering sounds interesting but I really don't know about the specific jobs they take.

July 11th, 2004, 13:02	#10
Lurker Posts: n/a	Re: Flight Test Engineering? Loooking more into the big manufacturer's sites(Boeing, Airbus...), I noticed most engineering positions require hands on experience. They got some pretty interesting jobs but you would have to work for a smaller company to start out in. What kind of engineering would I need to work on avionics?

July 12th, 2004, 00:07	#11
Newbie Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 61	Re: Flight Test Engineering? Brian, I don't really know much yet...I'm still researching everything myself. I think we'll need masters degrees, though, and my guess for avionics would be electrical engineering. I'm sort of in the same boat as you, though...fishing for info. Not sure what the career progression and pay are, yet.

July 12th, 2004, 09:04	#12
braidkid Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 556	Re: Flight Test Engineering? To be a FTE you only need a bachelors, not a masters. Master degrees in engineering are worthless in most cases. FTEs can be of all kinds of engineers: mechanical, electrical, industrial, etc.... Pay for me straight out of college a couple years ago was $45k/year. I was making close to $60k when I quit last year. If you want to transition into a flight slot you're better off going to a smaller company like Cessna, Cirrus, Raytheon, etc... I knew FTE's working at Cessna who made the transition into a flight slot after working as an FTE for about 5 years.

July 12th, 2004, 15:30	#13
Cutlass1287 Junior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 114	Re: Flight Test Engineering? What is the current demand for FTE's?

July 13th, 2004, 07:42	#14
braidkid Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 556	Re: Flight Test Engineering? I couldn't really say. It's probably not as high a demand as other engineering positions because it's a little more specialized.

July 13th, 2004, 11:58	#15
Cutlass1287 Junior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 114	Re: Flight Test Engineering? But is it like flying, where the demand is way low? It seems that engineers in general would be in high demand. Is this true?

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