Boeing's Boeing pilots

[PapaGiorgio]

I was just wondering if any one knew where Boeing recruits its pilots from to test and break in these new airplanes prior to delivery. I imagine one would have to have some heavy duty engineering degrees as well as plenty of time in Boeing aircraft. Former military test pilots perhaps? I’ve often asked this question to other fellow pilots while grinding away on some routine flight and no one really has an answer. Seems like it would be a pretty sweet gig to roll around the world demonstrating these aircraft to potential buyers. Oh yeah and I have to ask….What do you think the pilots are compensated for shouldering such a task?

 

[Spooky 1]

I was just wondering if any one knew where Boeing recruits its pilots from to test and break in these new airplanes prior to delivery. I imagine one would have to have some heavy duty engineering degrees as well as plenty of time in Boeing aircraft. Former military test pilots perhaps? I’ve often asked this question to other fellow pilots while grinding away on some routine flight and no one really has an answer. Seems like it would be a pretty sweet gig to roll around the world demonstrating these aircraft to potential buyers. Oh yeah and I have to ask….What do you think the pilots are compensated for shouldering such a task?

The Boeing Company (TBC), basically has three different units for their flight operation not counting their Corporate flight department and not counting any Military operations outside of the Boeing Comercial/AWACs operations. They consist of Expermental Flight Test, Production Flight Test and Flight Training. Usually these folks do not play in the other pilots sand box, but occasionally the Flight Training pilots do some assist in Production Flight Test.
Pay is nothing to write home about for the training folks unless you travel extensively to some pretty remote areas of the world doing various training assignments in both the simulator and aircraft.

Several of the Expermental pilots actually come from civilian backgrounds although just as many come from military TP schools.

 

[PapaGiorgio]

Thanks for the info Spooky...I had just always wondered how that operation was set up.