The National Test Pilot School (NTPS) is a civilian test pilot school located at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. The school attracts students primarily from commercial aircraft manufacturers and military air forces. NTPS offers a variety of courses for both test pilots and flight test engineers, ranging from 3-day specialty seminars to year-long Master's Degree courses, through the associated National Flight Test Institute. To provide a "hands-on" flight test environment, the school operates a fleet of over 40 aircraft, ranging from Cessna 150s to the supersonic SAAB Draken fighter.
The school was established in 1981 by retired test pilot Sean Roberts to fill a need for an institution that catered to non-military test pilots. In February, 1994, the National Flight Test Institute was established as the degree-granting branch of NTPS. Test Pilot Instructors at NTPS, apart from their vast experience as test pilots, are also extremely experienced instructors as they typically remain at NTPS for many years. NTPS trains test pilot students and flight test engineers to both civilian and military specifications and has a strong standing in systems testing.
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