NAS Patuxent River, Md. –
During World War II, in the early days of military aerospace test and evaluation, before formal test training regimens existed, military aviators had an average life expectancy of less than nine weeks—those who survived earned the esteemed title of test pilot.
Since its inception in 1945, the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) has been at the forefront of teaching flight test and evaluation. It cultivates an exceptional cadre of elite multi-domain aerospace test professionals, including industry and foreign partners, tasked with evaluating and fielding the most advanced aerospace technologies.
What began as a necessity in the post-World War II era evolved into a rigorous and dynamic institution which is not only vital to U.S. military aviation but has also influenced aerospace development worldwide. During the past 80 years, USNTPS has trained more than 4,800 students from no fewer than 17 countries and operates 48 aircraft representing 14 type/model/series—more than any other squadron in the Navy. The school revolutionized Naval Aviation by setting a new standard for flight test education—one rooted in safety, innovation and cutting-edge techniques—to conduct full-spectrum test and evaluation of aircraft and airborne systems.
Prior to the creation of USNTPS, flight test and evaluation in the Navy was informal, with volunteer test pilots and flight test engineers, relying on little more than skills and bravery. Early test pilots were responsible for evaluating, modifying and delivering new aircraft, with survival alone sometimes earning them the title of test pilot. The system left considerable room for improvement.
“The early days were a lot more about a pilot’s willingness to test than formalized training,” said Rich Harris, a curriculum liaison and retired U.S. Naval special warfare combat crewman serving USNTPS since 2007. “We joke about how someone would walk into a room full of pilots and ask, 'Who wants to try out the new airplane?' If they survived, they became a test pilot. That’s not really the way it worked, but it usually did involve on-the-job-training and the need to formalize that training became increasingly more apparent.”
In early 1945, Cmdr. Sydney Sherby led the committee to recommend a course of instruction for Navy flight test pilots at the Navy's Flight Test Center—what is now the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division—at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland. In response to the growing need for well-trained test pilots, and with Sherby’s help, the Navy established what was then known as Flight Test Pilots’ Training Program on March 12, 1945, which would later become the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1958.
Aiming to create a formalized education system that prepared aviators for the complex demands of flight test, the program’s mission was clear: to properly train newly assigned pilots and enhance the expertise of those already in service. Pilots and engineers needed the knowledge and tools to test, evaluate and improve aircraft systematically. They had to return from flights not only with suggestions for improvements, but also with the ability to articulate the reasoning behind those changes—they needed the what, the how and the why.
This focus on real-world application continues today, as a rapidly changing technological landscape leads to changing requirements prioritized based on cost, schedule and mission performance.
“That’s where pilots and engineers come in,” Harris said. “They figure it out. It all comes back to what the fleet needs, which is why USNTPS relies on fleet aviators. Fleet experience is real-world, hands-on experience, not just theoretical. It allows us to go back to the pilots and ask, 'How is this system actually working?’”
Since the institution's inception, USNTPS continually evolves. What started as a 12-week night school transformed into a full-time, yearlong program that incorporates both theoretical and hands-on training. This shift reflects the growing complexity of aviation technologies and the increasing demand for skilled testers. USNTPS has adapted by bringing in new content, incorporating advanced simulation tools and adding field-based experiences that prepare its graduates for the pressures of modern Navy and Marine Corps aerospace test programs.
“We emphasize the mindset,” said Cmdr. Travis Hartman, commanding officer and USNTPS alumnus. “We don’t just teach a process—we teach students to be master thinkers, capable of solving complex, ill-defined problems under pressure while fielding suitable solutions within time and budget constraints. Because of this, our graduates become very adaptable.”
According to Hartman, a cornerstone of USNTPS's success is its approach to education. Unlike traditional academic programs, the balanced focus is also on developing master practitioners. These students, who will go on to execute high-stakes flight tests, are prepared not only to assess aircraft but to make recommendations that impact actual missions and save lives.
“Being a part of USNTPS means that the instructors, as well as the students, have skin in the game,” Hartman said. “We aren’t just teaching theory. Our students will go on to be the ones executing the test plans and maneuvers. The stakes are incredibly high.”
This commitment to real-world application is at the heart of what sets USNTPS apart.
This hands-on approach is further enriched by the school’s varied international presence, which adds a global dimension to its training. With students from 17 allied nations, each brings unique experiences that contribute to the breadth and depth of the program. In partnership with the three other major test pilot schools, the Navy and Marine Corps select officers to attend and instruct at the Empire Test Pilots’ School in Boscombe Down, United Kingdom; the École du Personnel Navigant d'Essais et de Réception (EPNER) in Istres, France; and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. This exchange of knowledge, coupled with the varied backgrounds of the students and instructors, adds an invaluable holistic perspective to the schools.
Additionally, USNTPS partners with the U.S. Army, serving as its test pilot school, which also strengthens the school’s training environment. The Army sends 10 to 11 pilots and engineers annually to attend USNTPS, providing instructors, aircraft and a rotation of leadership, including the roles of executive officer and commanding officer. This inter-service collaboration contributes to the program’s well-rounded training and prepares students to work across multiple branches of the military.
This collaboration is just one example of how USNTPS's influence extends beyond its immediate schoolhouse. The school’s impact on flight test education in Naval Aviation is far-reaching and enduring. USNTPS graduates, including nearly 100 who have become astronauts, have played a crucial role in the development and deployment of major technologies. The test pilots, engineers and leaders trained at the school continue to shape the future of military aviation, tackling complex problems and pushing the boundaries of technology. From aircraft to weapons systems, to sensors and links, the minds trained at USNTPS have shaped the very technologies that keep the U.S. military at the forefront of global defense.
“Our graduates have been integral to the success of every major Navy and Marine Corps aerospace technology since the end of World War II,” Hartman said. “They’ve played a role in developing and fielding the systems that have kept this nation safe. That legacy continues to this day.”
The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School’s legacy is one of excellence, innovation and adaptability—values that continue to guide the school as it celebrates its 80th anniversary and looks toward the future. Whether training the next generation of test pilots or collaborating with global partners, USNTPS remains a critical force in advancing military aviation technology and preparing aviators and engineers to push the boundaries of what is possible, while serving as a testament to the importance of structured, yet dynamic, flight test education.
As Hartman puts it, “As an institution, we’re always changing because our field of expertise is always changing as technology advances. We’re never static. Our history of dynamism has kept this institution relevant for 80 years, with the minds we’ve trained going on to develop the technologies that have kept this country safe. Our mission remains the same: to continue teaching the minds that will shape the future of aviation.”
Lindsay Wooleyhand is a strategic communications specialist with the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. 
80 Years of Flight Test Instruction at USNTPS
By Paul Lagasse
1940s
April 1, 1942: The Navy commissions Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River
February 21, 1945: Cmdr. Sydney Sherby establishes a committee to recommend a formal education program for flight test pilots and engineers in the Navy
March 12, 1945: Fourteen pilots and engineers convene the first class of the new U.S. Navy’s Test Pilot Training Division
1950s
October 3, 1953: Cmdr. James B. Verdin (Class 8) sets a world record for speed flying an F-4D Skyray
1954: Members of Classes 8 and 9 participate in first trials of an angled aircraft carrier deck, steam catapult, and the Mk-7 arresting gear – innovations that fundamentally changed the nature of carrier aviation
August 1957: Royal Air Force Flying Officer Sidney Hughes, conducts the first planned low-altitude ejection from a Martin-Baker Mk-5 ejection seat aboard a Grumman F9F-8T Cougar at NAS Patuxent River
1958: The Test Pilot Training Division is renamed the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS)
1960s
May 5, 1961: Alan B. Shepard Jr. (Class 5) becomes the first American in space during his 15-minute, 302-mile suborbital flight in the Mercury spacecraft Freedom 7
1961: USNTPS creates a separate rotary wing curriculum
Oct. 11, 1968: Wally Schirra (Class 8) and two crewmates make the first crewed flight of the Apollo moon-landing program. Apollo 7 goes on to make 163 orbits around Earth over 260 hours and 9 minutes of flight
1970s
October 1970: Class 58 welcomes the foreign partner pilots from Italy, Japan, and Australia
June 1975: USNTPS moves to Hangar 110, adjacent to the Naval Air Test Center’s rotary-wing hangar. The move consolidates the school’s flying and academic work for the first time
July 1, 1978: USNTPS graduate Adm. Thomas B. Hayward (Class 12) becomes Chief of Naval Operations
1980s
Dec. 10, 1982: Gina Moy (Class 82) becomes the first female civilian aeronautical engineer to graduate from USNTPS
June 1983: Lt. Colleen Nevius (Class 83) becomes the first female naval aviator to graduate from USNTPS
January 28, 1986: Michael Smith (Class 66) perishes along with six crewmates aboard the space shuttle, the Challenger, after its explosion shortly after launch
1990s
June 1994: Twins Mark and Scott Kelly (Class 105) graduate from USNTPS. The “NASA Twins” are the first and only set to travel space to date. The brothers served as subjects for research on the effects of space travel on the human body when Scott spent an additional year in orbit while Mark remained on earth as a control subject
1996: The first “flying classroom”, a modified P-3C Orion, dubbed the Airborne Systems Testing and Research Support (ASTARS) aircraft goes into service at USNTPS enhancing airborne systems training for test pilots under instruction.
November 1997: The USNTPS creates its Short Course Department to provide test and evaluation focused education to the civilian 0workforce across NAVAIR and its warfare centers
2000s
February 2003: The Outstanding Student Award is renamed in honor of Cmdr. Willie McCool (Class 101) following his death. McCool perished alongside his six crewmates when the space shuttle, the Columbia, disintegrated reentering Earth’s atmosphere from orbit
Jan. 13, 2005: Col. Steve Kihara becomes the USNTPS’ first commanding officer from the U.S. Army
May 2014: First student final project is conducted on a UAS, using an MQ-9C Reaper autonomous unmanned aircraft
2010s
November 3, 2014: Cmdr. Tony Wilson (Class 132) makes the first arrested carrier landing flying the F-35C aboard the USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
April 22, 2015: An X-47B UCAS-D completes the first autonomous aerial refueling over the Chesapeake Bay
January 2019: Class 156 becomes the first to receive training in unmanned airborne systems as part of its regular syllabus
2020s
2025: Navy Celebrates 80 Years of Flight Test at U.S. Naval Test Pilot School
Navy Test Pilots Take Center Stage in New Exhibit at Patuxent River Naval Air Museum
A new exhibit showcasing developmental test pilots, flight officers, engineers and the history and influence of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) recently launched in April at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.
The exhibit, “80 Years of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future,” brings Southern Maryland—home of developmental flight test for the Navy and Marine Corps—an up-close look at the profession of flight test and the training institution where it all starts.
“USNTPS transformed flight test education and inspired generations of leaders who push the boundaries developing Navy and Marine Corps aerospace technology,” said USNTPS Commanding Officer Cmdr. Travis Hartman. “This exhibit is a tribute to that legacy and looks forward to the future of aviation innovation. We are excited to share this with visitors and, hopefully, future testers.”
Through a series of engaging displays, visitors learn about the critical and sometimes dangerous role developmental test pilots, flight officers and test engineers play in early aircraft and subsystem development. The exhibit highlights key milestones of USNTPS' historical development and provides insight into test pilot student life, including its demanding curriculum that shapes the aviation industry’s cadre of flight test professionals. Designed to inform and inspire future talent, the exhibit aims to spark curiosity and ambition in aspiring test pilots and future aerospace professionals.
USNTPS is an institution recognized worldwide for its rigorous academic program and excellence in developmental flight test training, serving test pilots across all military services and many international partners. The Navy’s test pilot school also serves as a dedicated test training institution for the U.S. Army and has graduated nearly 100 NASA astronauts to date, including John Glenn, Alan Shepard and Wally Schirra.
The exhibit was developed in partnership with the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), parent command to USNTPS. The school is a first stop for most of NAWCAD’s developmental test pilots and flight officers before they begin assignments testing aircraft at one of six developmental test squadrons.
The exhibit is open through 2026.
NAWCAD operates test ranges, laboratories and aircraft in support of test, evaluation, research, development and sustainment of everything flown by the Navy and Marine Corps. Based in Patuxent River, Maryland, the command also has major sites in St. Inigoes, Maryland, Lakehurst, New Jersey and Orlando, Florida.
From Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Public Affairs.