The school considers older types to
be indispensable as they are better-
suited to developing pilot skills. The menu
at TPS therefore offers a mouth-watering
selection, from the MiG-15UTI to the Grumman
HU-16 Albatross
to the school on a daily basis. To expose
students to the requisite variety of
aircraft, others are borrowed. The school
considers older types to be indispensable
as they are better-suited to developing
pilot skills. The menu at TPS therefore
o ers a mouthwatering selection, fromthe MiG-15UTI to the Grumman HU-16
Albatross.
A unique TPS asset is the NF-16D VISTA
(Variable-Stability In- ight Simulator
Test Aircraft). Students get two ights in
this two-seat ‘Viper’ to learn and practise
techniques in a variable-stability aircraftclass 01B had ve foreign students.
Acknowledging the importance of
the overseas trainees, current TPS
commandant Col Charles Webb says that
the international nature of the attendees,
‘will only improve the high quality of TPS.’
He underscores the importance of the
close ties with both ETPS in the UK and
the French test pilot school, the École
du Personnel Navigant d’Essais et de
Réception (EPNER) at Istres air base. ‘We
exchange our pilots with the French and
British school, and at any given moment
there is always one of our students at both
of these European locations.’
Each year a so-called ‘headmasters’
conference’ takes place, where the
commanding o cers and the civilian
leads of the USAF TPS, ETPS, EPNER
and the US Navy TPS come together to
exchange experiences and synchronize
their syllabi. The civilian leads o er
continuity, many of them having been
attached to the various schools for many
years rather than being re-allocated
like their military colleagues. Webb is
responsible for all ying operations, the
academic instruction, budgeting and
other issues that are necessary to run
the school.The fleet
Historically, the USAF TPS operated its
own varied eet of aircraft. However, as
budget restrictions took hold, it became
clear that maintaining a diverse in-
house eet was becoming prohibitively
expensive, and a core inventory of
home-based aircraft at Edwards is now
supplemented by loaned exotics. For
example, the resident 416th Flight Test
Squadron (FLTS) makes F-16s availableAbove: A pair of
‘Vipers’ taxis out
at Edwards. The
capstone event
for students
is a real-world
problem-solving
exercise, often
conducted in
partnership with
industry.
Frank Visser
Below: With
the secretive
North Base in
the background,
an F-16D bangs
down on the main
runway at ‘Eddie’.
The days of red
and white F-16s
dedicated to the
TPS are sadly a
thing of the past.
Frank Visserhttp://www.combataircraft.net // March 2018 91
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