Flight Test Safety Committee

The Flight Test Safety Committee (FTSC) was formed jointly in November 1994 by members of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), the Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). These and numerous additional organizations presently comprise the FTSC. The purpose of the FTSC is to initiate and sustain a flight test related safety organization intended to promote flight safety, reduce the risk of mishap, promote risk reduction management and continually improve the profession's communication and coordination.
About FTSC

Maurice Girard, Bombardier Aerospace

Maurice Girard
Senior Engineering Test Pilot
Bombardier Aerospace

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  • Education:
    • BS Physics, U of Western Ontario, 1982
    • MS Aviation Systems, U of Tennessee Space Institute, 1998
    • USNTPS (Class 103)
  • Military Test Pilot Experience
    • Cold Lake, 1993-1996: Test Pilot - CF-18, Tutor and T-Bird aircraft. Project Officer/Pilot on Canada’s first Precision Guided Munitions (PGM)/CF-18 integration program. Program included GBU-24B/B Lateral Asymmetry Envelope Expansion and Flutter testing. Test Pilot on the STING (full body G-suit) program, including centrifuge runs up to 10 G. Completed CT-133 entire cockpit upgrade, responsible for design, development and field deployment.
    • Patuxent River, 1996-1999: F/A-18 Test Pilot – Completed numerous programs primarily involving Handling Qualities projects. Highlights include:Cold Lake, 1999-2002: Flight Test Ops Officer and Test Pilot – numerous weapons programs.       Highlight was involvement with modified CT-114 & CT-133 ejections seats – conducted 15 ejections out of the back of a modified CT-133 (the seat – not me!).
      • BOL Chaff Flutter program with various external stores.
      • Departure Demo (out of control) recovery development program involving hundreds of tail slide and zero alpha, full rudder departures.
      • First flights with the Fleet Support Flight Control Computer in conjunction with NASA Dryden on their F/A-18 SRA (Systems Research Aircraft).
  • Civilian Test Pilot Experience
    • Cessna, 2002 – 2012: Senior Engineering Test Pilot. Primary test pilot on the following Prototype aircraft: Citation Sovereign, Citation Mustang & Citation CJ4. Deeply involved in every aspect of the initial development and certification including, but not limited to: initial Envelope Expansion, Flutter, Deep Stalls, all S&C, VMCA, VMU, VMCG, Takeoff/Landing Performance, RTO’s, Propulsion, Avionics, and Icing (numerous “first’s” in each program).
    • Last position was Chief Pilot for the Citation Latitude and numerous Advance Design programs.
    • Bombardier, 2012 – Present: Senior Engineering Test Pilot – Currently Lead Test Pilot on new CSeries Flight Test Vehicle (FTV4), primarily responsible for all CSeries Performance development and Certification testing.
  • Total Experience
    • 7800+ total flight time
    • 70+a/c types
    • Previous FAA ODA UM/DER
    • Current TCCA DAD
  • SETP/Flight Test Safety Committee (FTSC)
    • SETP Fellow
    • FTSC Chairman 2010-2012
    • Flight Test Safety Committee Director 2005 - present, Workshop Chairman (2007 England, 2009 Ottawa, 2010 England),
    • 2010-2011SETP Board Member (Treasurer)
    • SETP Central Section:       Chairman (2003, 2004, 2010), Secretary (2005, 2006)
    • Numerous SETP and FTSW Session Chairman
    • Current SETP Foundation Board Member
    • Symposium/Workshop papers: numerous papers 1996 - present (Tenhoff Award, 1996, 2012)
    • Gerard Guillamaud European Flight Test Safety Award - 2013