Everything you need to know.

Preparing you for success…ensuring that you are comfortable and confident in your role as a non-military engineer: that's what the New Engineer Training is all about at the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards Air Force Base.

It is comprehensive, because you will embrace exciting projects early on in your career. Flexible, to fit into your schedule. Personal, with individual attention from instructors. And challenging, providing everything you need to excel.

About the training.

Week 1 – AF and AFFTC

• Tours of the Edwards facilities are among the major highlights, including the Edwards AFB Flight line, the Benefield Anechoic Facility, the Ridley Mission Control Center and the test range.
• An overview of the mission of the Air Force and the role of the Air Force Materiel Command and AFFTC in accomplishing that mission.
• An introduction to the responsibilities of the flight test engineer.
• The flight test process, and an overview of weapon systems development are presented.
• Deficiency reporting, logistics testing, mission planning, system testing, and reliability and maintainability testing are taught.
• New Engineers are given insight into how mentoring relationships can be established, as well as guidance regarding professionalism standards expected of AFFTC engineers.

Week 2 – Avionics, Sensors, Weapons, Tactical Datalinks and Electronic Warfare

• Test and evaluation basics of the disciplines from the Avionics Systems Integration Division (ENV) and the Electronic Warfare (EW) Directorate.
• Technical experts present an overview of Communications, Tactical Datalinks, Navigation, Radar, Electro-Optical/Infrared, Weapons Employment, and Electronic Warfare systems.
• New Engineers visit a hands-on laboratory using an F-16 Hardware-in-the-Loop flight simulator, the APG-68 radar, the Low Altitude Navigation and Infrared Targeting for Night (LANTIRN) targeting pod, and an infrared (IR) Maverick missile.

Week 3 – Subsystems, Structures, Propulsion, Performance, Flying Qualities, and Human Factors

• Technical basics of the disciplines from the Flight Systems Integration Division (ENF) • Discipline experts present an overview of the testing for Performance and Flying Qualities, Propulsion, Structures, Subsystems, and Human Factors (this lesson provides a background on the aircraft systems, and how they are tested and analyzed)

Week 4 – Test Planning, Test Execution, and Technical Reporting

• Instruction on test planning, test execution, and technical reporting - to include the development of the test plan, the approval process, and the guidance used for formatting and content.
• New Engineers experience a Test Planning workshop, an Initial Safety Training Class, hands-on control room training, Crew Resource Management (CRM) training, and a simulator flight in the ENV avionics lab.
• This session introduces the people behind-the-scenes in flight test, and helps New Engineers understand the roles they play.
• At the end of Week 4, training concludes. You will gather with your fellow classmates for a graduation BBQ luncheon, where you will receive graduation certificates from the Commander of the 412th Test Wing.

Some answers.

Who takes the training?
All newly hired engineers, whether they are recent college graduates or experienced engineers from private industry, benefit from the New Engineers Training program.

When is the training conducted?
The schedule consists of four full weeks of individual modules taught during one week each month. Ideally, you should enter the training during the first week. However, we understand that work requirements may sometimes make this impractical, so you are able to enter during any of the four weeks of instruction if you desire.

Who teaches the courses?
The instructors are various technical experts and subject matter experts who are currently working at the AFFTC.