6/10/2008 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, CA -- The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School class 07B graduated in a ceremony at Edwards on June 7.

The school's 148th class is the first to receive a Master of Science in Flight Engineering degree upon completion of this course.

Class 07B consisted of eight flight test pilots, eight flight test engineers and two flight test weapons systems officers from the United States, India and Israel.

Each student has completed more than 2,500 hours of academics and about 120 hours of in-flight training -- each student puts in about six hours per day of instructor contact time, not including academic and flight preparation time.

During the final six months of the year at TPS, students demonstrated what they learned from across the curriculum by planning and executing real-world test management projects. Class 07B's TMPs were:

HAVE MOTTO

HAVE MOTO was a parameter estimation for the TG-14 aircraft. A motorglider was instrumented with accelerometers, rate gyros and two air data probes. Data from the characteristic response of the aircraft to basic control inputs were used to estimate the stability and control derivatives. The team members included Maj. Devin Traynor, Israeli Air Force Maj. Rotem Maril, Indian Air Force wing commander Lt. Col. Gyandeep Singh, Capt. Elliott Leigh and Capt. Mike Marlin.

HAVE CARRYALL

HAVE CARRYALL explored the technical feasibility of a carry-on data acquisition system, which required no modification to the host aircraft. The test team evaluated a personal flight data recorder with display. The recorder consisted of a kneeboard computer, inertial measurement unit, Global Positioning System receiver, video camera and audio recorder. The touch-screen kneeboard computer functioned as a display and control panel and also recorded data for post-flight review. Team members were Capt. Matthew Caspers, Capt. Mark Jones Jr., Navy Lt. James Allen and Capt. David Hoffman.

HAVE SATCHEL

HAVE SATCHEL researched the technical ability and utility of collecting flight test information with a carry-on data system. The test team evaluated a flight test assistance, which consisted of a kneeboard display, inertial measurement unit and a Global Positioning System. The team included Capt. Matt Phillips, Maj. Jeff Freedman, Capt. Kirt Cassell and Capt. Deepak Peter.

HAVE TRON

HAVE TRON compared the performance of a modified AN/ALQ-188B electronic attack training pod to a legacy pod for the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Test Center. Testing explored the modifications made to the pod including GPS tracking, automation, internal environmental sensors and the waveform signal power for various waveform techniques. The test pod was flown on an F-16 Fighting Falcon with the legacy AN/ALQ-188 flown on another F-16 as a means of comparison. Pod effects on the F-16's APG-68 radar were also investigated. Team members included Capt. Daniel Javorsek, Capt. Robert Hines, Capt. Jeffrey Dillard, Capt. Michael Jungquist and Capt. Timothy Sablotny.

Each student has been trained to lead members of a flight test team in the latest methods of flight testing, systems evaluation and test management, while instilling the cooperation and understanding between test team members necessary for successful flight test operations.

Source: USAF Edwards AFB Press Release by Annamaria Taylor