Two-Place Swedish Fighters Will Be Available To Students

Trainee test pilots at ETPS (Empire Test Pilots' School), Britain's world-class flight test training school, which is operated by QinetiQ in partnership with the UK MOD, will gain greater access to flying Sweden's fourth-generation fighter under a new agreement with Saab, brokered by Gripen International. The deal sees an extension of flying hours for ETPS students, as well as greater flying autonomy and will cover the next three years.

Since 1999, ETPS has included Gripen in its test pilot training courses, working in conjunction with Saab. Select groups of trainees and their instructor pilots (IPs) have gone to Sweden to experience Gripen's advanced cockpit technology and flight characteristics. ETPS Business Manager, Steve Westwood, said: "Modern aircraft rely on advanced systems for their effectiveness. For this reason, ETPS students are given access to a wide range of aircraft. Expanding our use of the Gripen allows ETPS to teach systems integration more effectively and on the latest platforms."

The ETPS course for both pilots and engineers provides exposure to a comprehensive range of aircraft types, fixed and rotary wing from large multi engined types and fast jets. Access to Gripen provides one element of this varied experience.

ETPS Commanding Officer, Commander 'Charlie' Brown explained: "Our students gain invaluable insight into the design of a fourth-generation platform through the inclusion of flying time on Gripen in our syllabus. They learn how to apply their test pilot techniques in an agile, fly-by-wire combat aircraft, a vital part of their preparation as test pilots of the future. This new agreement marks a significant step forward in the relationship of ETPS with Gripen."

This year, the Gripen aircraft will be fully integrated into the school's training syllabus. For the first time, Gripen will be flown exclusively by ETPS personnel - with two-seat aircraft occupied by an ETPS IP and student on every flight. Until now, a Saab test pilot has always been on board but, during 2005, Gripen will be released entirely to the ETPS.

Each ETPS course will contain two training campaigns to be undertaken by five students with two IPs. The instructors will undergo a three-week conversion exercise to qualify them on Gripen. The test pilot trainees will be drawn from Britain's Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. Each student will fly Gripen for 11 hours over a 10 flight programme, with a complementary course of simulator flying. Flight operations will be undertaken at Link�ping, while simulator training will be conducted at F7 Wing, Satenas.

The expanded ETPS project is being managed in close co-operation with Saab Aerosystems and the Swedish Air Force, and further strengthens the excellent relations that already exist between these highly skilled operators.

FMI: www.qinetiq.com/home_etps.html