Welcome to SFTE
The Society of Flight Test Engineers is a fraternity of engineers, whose principal professional interest is the flight testing of aerospace vehicles. The objective of the Society is the advancement of flight test engineering throughout the aerospace industry by providing technical and fraternal communication among individuals, both domestic and international, in the allied engineering fields of test operations, analysis, instrumentation and data systems.
Presidents Message - April 2013
Society Members and Fellow Flight Testers:
May I ask you a personal question?
How many of you use a checklist as part of your normal duties at work? I would imagine it is quite a few, even if in many cases the “checklist” is just a list of names reviewing a test report document or an engineering drawing going through checking, stress, etc. How about outside of work? I have to admit that before a big vacation, like my upcoming trip to Kona in May, I make up a checklist to ensure I take all the needed items (waterproof camera, boat shoes, snorkeling gear, etc.). Perhaps your personal checklist is in the form of a calendar on your smart phone to make sure the trash gets taken to the curb on Monday nights.
New Reference Handbook is Here!
The SFTE Technical Council proudly announces availability of our popular Reference Handbook's 3rd edition! New material includes handbook-style synopses of Geodetic measurements, gas turbine propulsion, TM & radio procedures, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Now posted on our members-only website, this edition will also be mailed to all members in a CD - a tanglible reward for being part of SFTE.
Due to its growth over the dozen years since its inception, we formatted the handbook to a larger 8.5 x11" (or A4) size, suitable for a large 3-ring binder. For this reason, SFTE is offering all paying members a chance to request one printed copy, complete with binder & dividers. The SFTE Executive Director will notify all members via email when then new handbooks are printed and available to begin mailing.
Future changes need not wait for another major release. As soon as any additions or corrections are proposed, the Tech Council will validate & post them on our website in a printable format. Members can print & insert changes into their handbooks. Send your suggestions for new material anytime!
CFP - 24th SFTE-EC Symposium
Defeating Murphy’s Law in Flight Test
Braunschweig, Germany
11 – 13 June 2013
Announcement and Call for Papers
In flight test sometimes the most unlikely things happen. Who would have known that a simple series of pitot static tests would have to be stalled twice in two consecutive years because of volcano eruptions and that the pitot statics aircraft – DLR’s Falcon 20 - would be known today as Volcano Ash Hunter. But it does not require a volcano - sometimes it’s just the regular stuff like the weather, technical problems, the technician who goes skiing and breaks his leg the day before the campaign or request for visit forms which magically vanish. It can be the high risk testing which works out just fine and at the very moment when everyone thinks you’re done something completely unrelated to the test goes wrong.
SFTE 44th International/SETP Southwest Symposium
Evolution of Flight Testing
from Manned Vehicles to UAVs
10.28.13 – 11.1.13
Fort Worth, Texas
www.sfte2013.com
Symposium Merger with SETP Southwest Section
We are pleased to announce the merger of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) Southwest Section Symposium with the Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE) 44th Annual International Symposium. The SETP presentations will be integrated into the 3 days of SFTE technical paper presentations.
Schedule
Bookmark the SFTE/SETP Symposium website at www.sfte2013.com to stay up to date on detailed schedules and events!
