The Navy TPS Visits and BBQs

We have been holding barbecues for the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School from Pax River twice a year for nearly 5 years now. The students come to CA twice a year for “qual” flights with the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards and sometimes special flights in civilian aircraft at Mojave Airport. They also go to Tehachapi Airport for sailplane flights.

Since I am President of the United States Navy League Bakersfield Council it seems a natural to reach out to these young men and women serving in our nations Sea Services! It may surprise some folks to learn that the USNTPS and the USAFTPS have students from every branch of our nation’s services, plus civil service and foreign exchange students.

We are fortunate at Mojave Airport to have a close relationship with all of the tenants, including Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites. He usually takes them down to his hangar and gives them a very unusual VIP tour.

In the last class we met a young Air Force Test Pilot stationed at Edwards AFB, but he completed his Test Pilot School training at the USNTPS in Pax River! The test pilot schools offer classes for Flight Test Engineers, as well as for pilots.

For more information on the Navy TPS, jump to their website.