Important accreditation has been given to QinetiQ’s UK pilot training school, with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) awarding it as an Approved Training Organisation (ATO).
The accreditation comes as QinetiQ and MOD have committed to invest some £85M in Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS), modernising the programme and transforming its courses and the air fleet used to deliver them.
The modernisation programme is part of a £1Bn contract, announced in December 2016, which ensures QinetiQ will continue to manage ETPS until at least 2028.
ETPS is now the first school in the UK, and one of only three Pilot schools in the world, to provide test pilots with course completion certificates needed to obtain civil Flight Test Ratings in compliance with new EASA regulations.
Paul Shakespeare, Head of ETPS at QinetiQ, which manages the school in partnership with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), said: “All civilian test pilots in Europe, such as those working in-house for aircraft manufacturers or graduates seeking commercial work, must now receive training from an accredited school. Our ability to provide this vital training will be greatly welcomed by our existing customers, and will create growth opportunities in new international markets as companies and individuals react to the new EASA rules.”
As part of the programme, QinetiQ has announced upgrades to the training fleet with a £15M deal with Airbus for four H125 helicopters.
The Garmin G500-equipped aircraft will be upgraded to include, among other capabilities, a 3-axis autopilot, dedicated communications equipment and Traffic Awareness Systems, in addition to a Flight Test Instrumentation suite, which will test and evaluate aircraft design and performance – a critical part of a test pilot or flight test engineer’s training.
The contract includes aircraft modification and ten years’ full HCare support.
John Anderson, Managing Director Air & Space, QinetiQ said: “We and the MoD are investing £85M in ETPS under our strategy to modernise the UK’s Test Aircrew Training capability. Assembling a fleet that provides the very best value and performance is vital to this strategy and the H125 will play a leading role. It’s an exciting time at ETPS, not just for us, but for our customers, who can look forward to improved programmes, delivered in more flexible way, using cutting edge aircraft.”
Colin James, UK Managing Director, Airbus Helicopters said: “As one of the world’s ‘Big Four’ test pilot schools, it is hugely encouraging to think that for many years to come, all ETPS helicopter test pilots and flight test engineers will train on Airbus aircraft. With this deal Airbus Helicopters is committed to providing long-term support to help make future ETPS helicopter training a success.”
Implementation of the modernisation programme began in January 2016 with the purchase of two Pilatus PC-21 fixed wing aircraft.
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