A Boeing program to develop tomorrow’s flight test conductors trains on an Aurora aircraft offering unique capabilities.
A recent Boeing employee training program, held at Aurora Flight Sciences, exemplified how the company is shaping aerospace’s future people and products.
Several Boeing flight test engineers recently completed the latest session of the Flight Test Conductor / Director Proficiency Accelerator Program, known as Flight Test Bootcamp. This immersive three-week program exposes participants to the rigors and demands of leading a flight test.
This gathering took place at Aurora’s headquarters in Manassas, Virginia. The students worked with Centaur, an optionally piloted aircraft (OPA) that gave them experience with unmanned aircraft, autonomy, and remote-control operations.
What is Flight Test Bootcamp?
Flight Test Bootcamp provides intensive training for flight test engineers who are interested in leading a flight test program. In the commercial side of Boeing’s business, this role is known as a flight test director; on the defense side, it’s known as a flight test conductor. People in this demanding position ensure that flight tests are done safely and effectively.
“The test conductor / test director role is one that historically has taken years of on-the-job training to perform at a high level,” said Bill Jaconetti, a Technical Fellow in Flight Test Engineering with Boeing Test & Evaluation. “This program aims to develop an accelerated path to proficiency. Throughout the company we have significant upcoming flight test programs in our portfolio, and we must ensure our personnel are ready to execute safely.”
The program has been running for three years with training sessions held across Boeing. This was the first session at an Aurora Flight Sciences site.
Among this session’s participants was one from an international location.
“Being from the UK, it’s great to see the wider world of Boeing and BT&E in the US, and to meet people and create a wider network,” said Maisie Dobbs, a flight test engineer with BT&E UK who supports the Chinook rotorcraft.
Why at Aurora?
Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing subsidiary since 2017; designs, builds, and flies experimental and uncrewed aircraft. Conducting robust flight test operations is a key component in the company’s approach to the development of cutting-edge aircraft capabilities.
“Having Aurora Flight Sciences host this training session was an important addition to our program,” said Jaconetti. “They have significant flight test capabilities, and their expertise in testing unpiloted and autonomous systems makes them well suited for teaching a class with that theme, while still covering core course components like crew resource management and in-flight testing.”
Aurora’s Centaur optionally piloted aircraft is a flexible platform that allows students to train with the aircraft in standard, piloted mode and then advance to experience operations from a remote ground control station and using autonomous capabilities.
Using Centaur provides a valuable learning experience with unmanned aerial systems, a growing area that will require more trained test conductors and test directors in the future.
What’s next for Flight Test Bootcamp
In 2026, with a significant number of prospective students in the queue, the program will expand from two to three sessions per year. Classes for 2026 are planned for Boeing sites in Mesa, Arizona, and St. Louis, as well as a return to Aurora Flight Sciences’ Virginia location.
