Society of Experimental Test Pilots


The Society of Experimental Test Pilots is an international organization that seeks to promote air safety and contributes to aeronautical advancement by promoting sound aeronautical design and development; interchanging ideas, thoughts and suggestions of the members, assisting in the professional development of experimental pilots, and providing scholarships and aid to members and the families of deceased members.

History

Seventeen pilots attended the first organized meeting of the "Testy Test Pilots Society" on September 29, 1955. This name was to be short-lived, however, as it was changed to The Society of Experimental Test Pilots at the second meeting on October 13, 1955.
The first officers of the society were instated on October 25, 1955, and consisted of Ray Tenhoff, President; Scott Crossfield, Executive Adviser; Dick Johnson, Vice-President; Joe Ozier, Secretary; Lou Everett, Treasurer; and Al Blackburn, Legal Officer. Once the organization and bylaws were established, the society incorporated in the state of California on April 12, 1956. The insigne of the society was designed by C. A. "Al" McDaniel and officially adopted for use in 1956.
The first Awards Banquet was held on October 4, 1957, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. It was at the second such banquet, however, that the tradition of the Iven C. Kincheloe Award began. This annual award honors the member who has done the most proficient test work during the previous year. James Gannett of Boeing and Joseph John "Tym" Tymczyszyn of the Civil Aeronautics Administration won the first Kincheloe Award for their work toward certification of America's first turbojet airliner' the Boeing 707. They have been followed each year by the most notable contributors to aviation history.
In 1969, Bob Hoover was president of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and he had been a personal friend of Charles Lindbergh since the early 1950s, when the reclusive Lindbergh was using the pseudonym "Mr Schwartz". Hoover persuaded Lindbergh to attend the SETP annual symposium and banquet at the Beverley Hilton, as his guest. At the top table, they were joined by Neil Armstrong, who had just been released from quarantine after the Apollo 11 mission. Hoover introduced both Lindbergh and Armstrong, to the surprise of the press and other attendees, and many photos were published of Hoover's wife Colleen flanked by both 'heroes' of aviation. The story of the occasion was later narrated by Hoover in the 2014 documentary film Flying the Feathered Edge: The [Bob Hoover Project].
As of December 31, 2023, the Society had 2,479 members from various countries.

Publications

The society publishes a quarterly known as Cockpit that contains technical articles on flight testing. In addition to Cockpit, the society publishes the proceedings of the annual symposium in Los Angeles to provide a permanent record of flight test progress reports. A periodic newsletter is also provided to members.

Conferences

The Society holds a number of conferences annually:
  • Los Angeles Symposium and Banquet
  • San Diego Symposium
  • East Coast Symposium
  • Northwest Symposium
  • European Symposium
  • Southeast Symposium
  • Central Symposium
  • Great Lakes Symposium
  • Southwest Symposium
  • Flight Test Safety Workshop

    Awards

The Society annually presents a number of awards to recognize notable members of the flight test community. These are:
In 1967, the Society created a foundation to provide for scholarships and other forms of educational assistance to children of deceased or disabled Society members. As of 2020, the scholarship foundation has granted over US$3.5 million in educational assistance to more than 178 students. Approximately 12 students per year attend school with Society assistance.

Membership and member grades

Membership in the Society is divided into six grades:
  1. Honorary Fellow —Distinction in the aerospace field and an experimental test pilot at some time during their career
  2. Fellow —Distinction in experimental flight testing and an Associate Fellow for at least one year
  3. Associate Fellow —Association with experimental flight testing for ten years, experimental test pilot for five years, Member for at least two years
  4. Member —Experimental test pilot not less than one year or crewed space vehicle pilot
  5. Associate Member —Experimental test pilot or co-pilot from between six months to two years depending on the type of testing
  6. Corporate Member—Organization that has a common interest with the Society in the advancement of crewed aerospace

    Criteria for membership

The American astronaut, Wally Schirra, had firm views on the criteria that should apply for membership of SETP, and on the definition of an astronaut. He devoted a whole chapter, My Ultimate Peer Group, of his autobiography, Schirra's Space, to a discussion of the subject.
Schirra says that SETP is an exclusive society based on professional aviation skill and accomplishment rather than mere achievement of altitude:
He argues that personnel not flying an aircraft or controlling the flight of a spacecraft are not aviators or astronauts:

Notable members

The following is an incomplete list of notable individuals who are or were members of the society: