Inside the World of Flight Test Engineering- The Plane Kate

What is a Flight Test Engineer?

Flight Test Engineers (FTE) are responsible for the definition, planning, and execution of flight tests, and the data analysis and presentation of results obtained for the duration of a test program. The scope of an FTE varies from organization to organization but in some cases, the FTE plays a monumental role throughout the test campaign, often coordinating and managing the entire test team of test pilots, technical specialists, various engineers across several disciplines, and even maintenance engineers to ensure all objectives of the campaign are met. During the execution of the flight test, the Flight Test Engineer is usually either on board the aircraft or located in a control room, tracking the status of the flight test in real-time and may be the sole person in direct communications with the test pilot, depending on the organization. (Reference: Part I: Intro to Flight Test Engineering – The Plane Kate)

What does a typical day look like?

That's a tricky question because every day is so different! I just finished Test Pilot School which is a very unique experience. You can read about what it's like on my website: What’s Test Pilot School Like? – The Plane Kate

Why is Flight Test Engineering important?

Flight test professionals ensure that any vehicle flying is safe for the people who will operate it, passengers who will fly on it, and everyone else on the ground. We have a big responsibility to report things exactly as we see them without applying personal bias and to find any issues in test so that they can be fixed before the user ever has to deal with them.

Another reference: Part I: Intro to Flight Test Engineering – The Plane Kate

How did you choose this path?

When I was working at NASA's Johnson Space Center as an engineer, I learned about flight test engineers and Test Pilot School because our organization had an agreement at the time to send an employee to U.S. Naval Test Pilot School every few years. After learning more about different roles that would allow me to combine my love of aviation with engineering, I knew that it was the path I wanted my career to go. I love the mix of operations and technical expertise required in this career field.

What is the coolest part of your job?

The fact that I feel like I tricked someone into paying me to fly airplanes will never be lost on me.

What advice do you have for other women pursuing careers in aviation?

There will definitely be challenges as you traverse a career field where you are often "the only" or one of "the few" in a room. From my experience, the worst thing you can do is add to the difficulty by doubting yourself. The last time I had a giant failure, it was a direct result of my own self-doubt that caused me to spiral. That's not to say that believing in yourself and your abilities will always be effortless, but surround yourself with people that make doing so easier and you will learn to trust that you have everything you need within you to succeed.