1. Careers in Flight Test
and Lessons Learned from the
Real World
Mike Delaney
Computer Engineering ’04
Electronics Engineer
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center

2. Why I’m here today
• Describe electrical and computer
engineering careers in flight test
• Pass on some things I’ve learned in
the real world

3. Background
• Graduated in 2004
• Worked at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
for 5 years
• Over 200 hours in mission control
• Multiple Flights
• 2 Mars Missions

4. So What Is Flight Test
and Flight Research?

5. Developmental Flight Test
• Demonstrate that an aircraft meets customer requirements
• Determine operating limits
• Show that it’s safe to fly
F-35 Vertical Landing
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Orion Spacecraft Launch
Escape System
F-22 Missile Test

6. Flight Research
• Advances fundamental understanding of flight
• Flies new technologies and vehicle concepts
X-47 UAV Carrier Demonstration
X-48 Blended Wing for Fuel Efficient Airliners
X-51 Record Longest Scramjet
Flight (1:50 at 5x Speed of Sound)
X-31 Thrust Vectoring

7. Space Tourism Flight Test
• $100 Million in tickets sold so far
• Science Fiction DOES come true

8. Global Hawk dropping
Airborne Science hurricane probe
Not flight test however
Heavily modified aircraft used to advance Earth
and Space science
Flying Observatory with 8
foot diameter telescope
DC-8 Flying Laboratory

9. But We’re Not Aerospace Engineers…
Passenger Airplane Cost
Software and
Electronics
Everything Else

10. So What Can Electrical
and Computer Engineers
do in Flight Test?

11. Instrumentation Engineering
• Sensors and data systems
• Collected data is displayed onboard or transmitted to the ground
• Ensure data quality through flight

12. Bench Demo - Thanks to
John Bretz at IADS Software

13. Avionics & Flight Systems Engineering
• Avionics and Mission Systems
• Understand the avionics systems under test
• Developing test plans
• Monitor data during the test for safety
• Analyze data after a flight

14. Range Systems Engineering
• Receive and Record telemetry data
• Displaying data in mission control in real time
• Radar tracking of test aircraft
• Radio Communication

15. Simulation Engineering
• Aircraft Cockpit Models
• Avionics in the Loop
• Flight Dynamics software and displays
• “Ironbird” Aircraft in the Loop

16. How Do I Start?
• All aircraft companies do flight test – big and small
• Also: NASA, Air Force, Army, and Navy
• Need to show a passion for
aviation!
• Show initiative, find the opportunities
• Know who you want to work for and why

17. Join the Society of Flight
Test Engineers
• The professional group for engineers in flight test
• Provides networking and educational opportunities
• Demonstrates that you know and care about being involved in flight test
• Student membership is only $15

18. What I’ve Learned from the Real World
or
You Can Wake Up Now

19. Learn How To Give
Good Presentations
• Don’t just read your slide word for word
• You’re probably wishing I’d listened to my own
advice right about here

20. Learn a
Microcontroller
• You’ll need to use one someday
• TI MSP 430 Board for $4.30
• Talk to Robotics Club

21. Trust Your
Technicians
If it cant’ be built it’s not a good design

22. You Never
Stop Learning
Always invest in your career
Don’t count on your employer to pay for it

23. Have a Passion
For Engineering
Go into an interview exited
Say why you want to work there

24. Your Job Isn’t Your Life
Enjoy what you do

25. Questions?

26. More Questions
Mike.m.delaney@gmail.com
Please put Pitt in the subject