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Job Opening – Test Pilot at Joby Aviation
Joby Aviation seeks a Test Pilot in Marina, California. Long course TPS graduate required. Salary $175,648–$254,805 plus equity and benefits.
SETP Scholarship Foundation – Financial Assistance to the Children of Active SETP Members
The SETP Scholarship Foundation is accepting applications for financial assistance for children of active SETP members. Deadline: May 15, 2025.
Flight Test Safety Fact Newsletter – SETP
The Flight Test Safety Fact newsletter (25-01) is published by the Flight Test Safety Committee of SETP and covers flight test safety topics.
High-Angle of Attack & Departure Testing: A Capsule Talk at IAFTPS
Wing Commanders P. Awasthi (Retd) and M. Patel (Retd) from HAL delivered a presentation on high angle of attack and departure testing to the 47th FTC at IAFTPS.

Job Opening – Experimental Flight Test Pilot at Robinson Helicopter
Robinson Helicopter Company, with over 50 years of civil rotorcraft manufacturing history, is seeking an Experimental Flight Test Pilot.

Rotary-Wing Flight Test Instructor Job Opening – ITPS Canada
ITPS Canada seeks a full-time Rotary-Wing Flight Test Instructor in London, Ontario. Permanent position with competitive benefits including 5 weeks vacation.

Chennai Air Show 2024
The Chennai Air Show 2024 at Marina Beach featured 72 aircraft including Rafales, celebrating the 92nd anniversary of the Indian Air Force. Set to enter Limca Book of World Records.
Aero India 2025: Bengaluru to Host Asia's Biggest Air Show
Bengaluru will host Aero India 2025 at IAF Yelahanka airbase — Asia's biggest air show featuring trade fair, aerial displays, and international aerospace collaboration.

HAL Looks to Build Light Helicopters to Develop Medium Chopper Expertise
HAL is pivoting from Su-30MKI assembly to rotorcraft, having delivered 320+ Dhruv ALHs. The company sees light helicopter manufacturing as the path to medium chopper capability.

LCH Prachand's Successful Armament Validation
The inaugural firing of 70mm rocket and 20mm turret guns of LCH Prachand was successfully executed during day and night operations.

Indian Air Force Receives Twin-Seater Trainer Version of LCA Tejas from HAL
HAL handed over the twin-seater trainer version of LCA Tejas to the IAF on October 4, 2023. HAL holds orders for 18 twin-seaters with deliveries through 2026–27.

IAF to Buy 156 More Prachand Light Combat Helicopters
The IAF has proposed procuring 156 more Prachand LCH helicopters for deployment along Chinese and Pakistani borders. 15 already inducted after high-altitude trials.

Chandrayaan-3 Hits Milestone: Lander Separates from Propulsion Module
Chandrayaan-3's Vikram lander successfully separated from the propulsion module, with soft landing on the Lunar south pole scheduled for August 23, 2023.

The India–US Deal for 31 MQ-9B Drones
India and the US endorsed the procurement of 31 General Atomics MQ-9B HALE UAVs — 15 SeaGuardians for the Navy and 16 SkyGuardians for Army and Air Force.

India Selects the Navy Rafale
India announced the selection of the Naval Rafale, acquiring 26 aircraft to complement the IAF's 36 Rafales. India becomes the first country to operate both Rafale variants.

NAL finalising production partner for HANSA-NG trainer aircraft
NAL is advancing plans to find a manufacturing partner for the HANSA-NG, a two-seat training aircraft with glass cockpit and Rotax-912iSc engine.

45th Flight Test Course Officers Graduate With Flying Colours
10 Test Pilots and 4 Flight Test Engineers of the 45th FTC graduated from AFTPS Bangalore after 47 weeks of rigorous multi-discipline training.

India approves purchase of 70 HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft
India approved procurement of 70 HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft valued at $388.5 million to supplement the existing Swiss-made PC-12 Mark II training fleet.

PM Modi to dedicate HAL copter unit to nation on Feb 13
PM Modi will inaugurate HAL's helicopter manufacturing unit in Tumakuru on February 13, on the inaugural day of Aero India 2023.

Aero India 2023: 14th Edition Kicks Off in Bengaluru
Aero India 2023, the 14th edition, was held in Bengaluru from February 13–17. The event showcases aerospace and defence innovation and supports Make in India.

Unmatched Agility: LCA Tejas Marks 22 Years Since First Flight
LCA Tejas marks 22 years since its first flight on January 4, 2001. The Mk1 model received Final Operational Clearance on February 20, 2019.

IAF-HAL conclude ₹6,800 crore contract for 70 HTT-40 trainer aircraft
IAF and HAL finalized a ₹6,800 crore agreement for 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft during the Bandhan ceremony at the 12th DefExpo.
IAF inducts first made-in-India light combat helicopters
The IAF inducted its first domestically-manufactured light combat helicopters — a major milestone in India's defence self-reliance programme.

DRDO conducts successful maiden flight of Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator
DRDO successfully conducted the maiden flight of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator at Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga in fully autonomous mode.

IAF to order more advanced light combat copters
The IAF is planning to buy more ALH Mark-IV 'Rudra' copters for high-altitude operations. The Rudra performed well during the Eastern Ladakh standoff with China.

Made-in-India Dornier 228 comes full circle with Northeast commercial ops launch
Alliance Air is launching commercial services in India's Northeast using domestically manufactured Dornier 228 aircraft — the first civilian version produced entirely in India by HAL.

Procurement of 15 indigenous Light Combat Helicopters approved
Cabinet approved procurement of 15 indigenous LCH at ₹3,887 crore. 10 for IAF and 5 for the Army. The LCH features 45% indigenous content by value.

Flight Test Safety Fact Published for the Flight Test Safety Committee
The Flight Test Safety Committee published a new Flight Test Safety Fact covering communication culture, risk matrix analysis, and lessons learned implementation.

PM Modi hands over Light Combat Helicopters to IAF chief
PM Modi handed over indigenously built LCH helicopters to IAF Chief at the 'Rashtra Raksha Samarpan Parv' event in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.

Last Flight of Col Austin James "Jim" Bailey, Jr., USMCR (Ret) (F)
The Society mourns the Last Flight of Col Austin James "Jim" Bailey, Jr., USMCR (Ret) (F), who passed away on June 24, 2021 at age 99.

Navy Inducts 3 Indigenously-Built Advanced Light Helicopters
The Indian Navy inducted three ALH MK III helicopters at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam. They feature modern surveillance radar, electro-optical systems, and all-weather capabilities.

Obituary: Michael Collins – Apollo 11 Command Module Pilot
Michael Collins, Apollo 11 Command Module Pilot and first Director of the National Air and Space Museum, passed away on April 28, 2021, at age 90.

Tribute to Air Marshal PM Ramachandran
Air Marshal Palamadai Muthuswamy Ramachandran, former Vice Chief of the IAF and distinguished test pilot, passed away on May 6, 2021.

Flight Test Safety Fact, 21-05
A reflection on the metaphor of luck vs. experience for pilots. This issue focuses on the question 'Lucky, or Good?' from the April Virtual Symposium hosted by SETP.

And, God gets a co-pilot in AVM Ajit Lamba
AVM Ajit Lamba, who accumulated over 7,000 flying hours and piloted over 100 aircraft types, passed away after battling leukaemia. He commanded ASTE from 1986 to 1991.
Aero India 2021
Aero India 2021 is the 13th edition of the biennial exhibition held in Bengaluru from February 3-5, 2021 at Air Force Station, Yelahanka.

"Last Flight" of Brig Gen Charles E. Yeager, USAF (Ret)
Brig Gen Chuck Yeager, the first person to break the sound barrier (October 14, 1947), and a SETP Fellow, passed away on December 7, 2020, at age 97.
Flight Test Safety Committee Podcast Channel – New December Episode!
New podcast episode from the Flight Test Safety Committee featuring Edwards AFB testers discussing autonomy, autonomous vehicles, and AI testing. Available on iTunes, Spotify and Google Play.

Handling Qualities Evaluation at the USAF Test Pilot School
A technical reference on handling qualities evaluation methodology at the USAF Test Pilot School, addressing the complex human factors in the handling qualities loop.

Why Has India Opted For Indigenous LCH Helicopters Over AH-64E Apache To Fight China?
India deployed indigenous LCH helicopters over US-made AH-64E Apaches in Ladakh. The LCH is the lightest attack helicopter in the world designed to meet the specific needs of the Indian Armed Forces.

