FTSC News

As we approach the end of the hurricane season in the northern hemisphere, we take you on a whirlwind tour of several important headlines that are probably relevant to your flight test program or your knowledge of industry trends.  

Turbo serves up some Halloween drama and a picture in a shark hat.

A reader submitted his story about the Flight Test Safety Database, one of the resources of the FTSC, and he encourages you to engage.

Finally, you can find out more about the award winning team who earned this year's LeVier Safety Award.

Sincerely,
Mark Jones Jr.
Editor

For security and added convenience, you can download the newsletter here.

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP 47 – The Tale of Aircraft 163666

A special Halloween themed episode again this year about another seemingly cursed aircraft. This time an AV-8B Harrier. Join me and my guest Col Kevin "Smells" Gross, USMC (Ret) as we recount the terrifying tale of aircraft 163666.

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And for a little more spooky humor check out this excerpt from the SETP Awards Banquet pre dinner entertainment "The Testy Zone"

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP 46 - Are You Ready For the Bad Day? Part Two - Safe on Deck...Now What?

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This month we will pick up where we left off with Marty Rollinger after his episode off the catapult in his F/A-18.  If you missed part one check it out first.

Marty Rollinger LinkedIn Page

Got an exciting aviation story to share, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

See you the last week in September in Anaheim for the SETP Annual Symposium and Banquet.

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

It's back to school time, and Turbo makes an interesting observation that correlates what we did in school with what's in this issue.  

There is a lot to read in this issue, but the simple fact that so many of our readers are weighing in is a good thing--a great thing really--discussion means the newsletter is doing what it ought.  In this issue, you will find three letters to the editor, some fanciful observations about book covers and art and even dealing a hand of cards.

So whether you want to weigh in on the probability of a losing poker hand or join the STPA function vs component conversation, we hope to hear from you.  

While you are at your Annual Symposium, take notes and share those too with the editor, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., because connecting you and sharing your insights with other readers is why we are here.

Sincerely,
Mark Jones Jr.
Editor

For convenience and safety you can view the newsletter here.

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP 45 – Are You Ready For the Bad Day? Part One - The Water’s Getting Closer

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How ready are you for the unthinkable to happen? This month we are joined by Marty Rollinger, former Marine F/A-18 pilot who shares a harrowing experience he had during pre-deployment carrier operations.  

Marty Rollinger LinkedIn Page

SETP Annual Symposium and Banquet Registration Link

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

It’s officially August, which means hot weather in the United States, a season that brings back many fond memories of summer fun.  One of the things I loved as a kid was the joy of discovery, and that usually included some new scientific fact I hadn’t known before or an adventure, whether that was on a trail or a boat.  Both discovery and adventure are included in this edition of the Flight Test Safety Fact.  

We kick off the newsletter with an op ed that recommends you check out the tutorial videos from our most recent Flight Test Safety Workshop, which is where I found my first dose of discovery.  There are plenty of things to discuss about the STPA videos and the questions they raise.  

Turbo shares reflections from his own adventure at sea, and somehow he links them succinctly to safety.  And you’ll find a recap of his most recent podcast as well, a tale of two pilots.  

As always, we encourage you to send your comments and questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and hopefully this edition will generate some comments.

Thanks,
Mark Jones Jr.
Editor

For convenience and safety you can download the newsletter here.

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP 44 – Battle of the X Pilots (Part 1)

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Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP 43 – Signs of Danger

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This month we have an episode recorded live at the Flight Test Safety Workshop last month.  My guests are the 150 attendees of the workshop. We have five visuals you might encounter on any given day that we will discuss applying everything we know about risk management.  You can find the slides used here: Click Here to download

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

It's almost summer, and things in this edition are heating up.  Chia Rogerson shares a recap of the recent Flight Test Safety Workshop from Wichita, and the Textron team also earned top honors with their paper on stall testing of a special mission King Air aircraft.  So you should probably ask them for a copy or make plans to hear it in Anaheim.  

Jeff "Canman" Canclini has a survey (a short one) that you should fill out, and then you can listen in while Ben Luther and Canman philosophize about the future Flight Test Professional.  

Finally, take history and add flight test, and you get the second half of a great interview you don't want to miss in last month's podcast.  

As always, we'd love to hear your comments.  Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sincerely,
Mark Jones Jr.
Editor

For security and added convenience, you can download the newsletter here.

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP 40 – This Is The Way. Applying Safety Every Day.

During my years of flying and flight test I learned a lot about safety and making decisions relative to risk.  But what good does any of that do me in everyday life?  Well, turns out it comes in handy.

Tell us about a way you apply flight safety to your everyday life.

Listen Now!

Arrows in the Desert Video Link

Arrows Across America Website

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP 41 – B-1 Flight Test Lessons Learned

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This month we talk with Ken Katz about flight test lessons from the B-1 program.  A link to Ken's Bio is below.

Register now for the Flight Test Safety Workshop: https://www.setp.org/symposium/meetings/workshop/

Ken's Bio: https://www.casematepublishers.com/author/kenneth-katz/

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP 41 – B-1 Flight Test Lessons Learned (Part 2)

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This month I share some observations from the recent Flight Test Safety Workshop and we finish our Interview with Ken Katz who shares more lessons learned from the B-1 flight test program.

Ken's Bio: https://www.casematepublishers.com/author/kenneth-katz/

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

Imagine that you had magical powers, and you could apply those powers to any part of the flight test safety process? What would you apply it to? That's one of the questions I'll ask in this edition of the Flight Test Safety Fact that explores many topics and landmarks including: 1) American football and the fundamentals, 2) Silly slogans with mostly meaningless words and what we really mean when we say them (it's a Letter to the Editor), 3) FTSC Award nomination guidelines, and 4) AI.

That's a very brief description of this edition, because you'll find lots of words inside, and I want you to save your energy for those words.  I hope some of them (the words in this newsletter) motivate you to send some words to the editor, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Reminder: Flight Test Safety Workshop Call for Papers extended to 1 March (today).

I can't close without warning you to beware the ides of March.  (Seems like the safe thing to do.)

Sincerely,
Mark Jones Jr.
@FlightTestFact
flighttestfact.com
Editor

For security and added convenience, you can download the newsletter here.

This month we talked with Tobias van Esselstyn, Director of Flight Test Engineering at Gulfstream about some of the challenges today's test teams face and ideas on how to meet those challenges.

Listen Now!

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

Tobias van Esselstyn Bio

Tony LeVier Flight Test Safety Award

FTSW Call for Presentations

Pan Am 1959 Promo Video

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting

“Prediction is hard, especially about the future.”  This pithy quote is humorous, but in some sense, we can create the future we intend, especially when it comes to flight test safety.  

You will find two more pithy quotes in this edition of the Flight Test Safety Fact, and a research group attempts to predict emerging hazards in commercial aviation.  Their report and methodology are both relevant, and they also illustrate another important issue, something addressed in a column aptly titled, “First Things First.”  

Turbo asks us to sing “Auld Lang Syne” with him and also celebrates three years of podcasting.  

Speaking of pithy quotes, there is an important question that warrants your feedback inside this edition.

Finally, a look back at the London FTSW and feedback from the last few months of last year round out this edition.  

Happy New Year.  I look forward to hearing your one-liners as 2023 kicks off.

Sincerely,
Mark Jones Jr.
@FlightTestFact
flighttestfact.com
Editor

Download the newsletter here.

Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel - EP37 - New Testing of Old Aircraft

Listen Now!

Available on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Play, and Amazon Music: FTSCChannel

This Podcast is sponsored by Time2climb Training and Consulting