Commandants of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School

USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, California

The commanding officer of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF TPS) is known as its Commandant. The commandant manages the school which is a military unit that operates in a distinctly academic atmosphere.^[1] The position is usually held by a colonel selected by the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) commander although this authority may be delegated to the commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC).^[2] The commandant oversees all flying training, academic instruction, budgeting, and curriculum administration at the school.^[3] The commandant also chairs a board of officers that selects the school's students. The selection board consists of flight test squadron commanders with a majority of the board members being TPS graduates.^[4] Every three years, the commandant conducts a review of the school's curriculum with participation from flight test squadrons, the U.S. Naval TPS, and operational squadrons.^[3]

The school's mission is to produce experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test navigators to lead and conduct test and evaluation of aerospace weapon systems.^[5] The school was established on September 9, 1944 as the Flight Test Training Unit at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Dayton, Ohio.^[6] To take advantage of the uncongested skies and superb flying weather, the school was moved on February 4, 1951 to its present location at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of Southern California.^[6] Edwards AFB is the home of the Air Force Flight Test Center and has been an integral part of flight testing for over fifty years.^[7]

Between 1962 and 1972, the Test Pilot School expanded its role to include astronaut training for military test pilots.^[8] Thirty-seven TPS graduates of this era were selected for the U.S. space program, and twenty-six went on to earn astronaut's wings by flying in the X-15, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs.^[9] Although the school no longer trains astronauts, many TPS graduates since 1972 have been selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for duties in space. The school encourages applications from civilians, personnel from other U.S. military services, and individuals from foreign countries.^[10] An exchange program allows selected students to attend other test pilot schools including the United States Naval Test Pilot School, the United Kingdom's Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS), and France's École du personnel navigant d'essais et de réception (EPNER).^[11]

Commandants

The following list provides a complete list of commandants of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. The table contains their name, rank, dates as commandant, the TPS class from which they graduated (if applicable), and notable events that occurred during their tenure at the school.

Key

Rank	Military rank	The rank shown is at the time the individual served as commandant.
Class	Year/Letter	The year and order in which a class started. For example, 07A was the first of two classes to start in 2007.[12]
	Roman Numeral	Four Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) classes designated I, II, III, and IV, that prepared students for manned spaceflight operations. These classes were dropped when the USAF lost its manned spaceflight mission.[13]
Events	"introduced"	Indicates an aircraft type was first made available for use by TPS students. This date is usually much later than the aircraft entered USAF service.

List of Commandants

Buzz Aldrin

Steve Cameron

Ken Chilstrom

Gene Deatrick

Jim Doolittle, III

Guy Gardner

Ralph Hoewing

Lars Hoffman

George Ka'iliwai III

Michael Kostelnik

Mike Luallen

Charles Webb

Chuck Yeager

Noel Zamot

  *   Individual was killed in an aviation-related accident.

No	Name	Rank	From	To	Class	Notable events during tenure	Ref
1	Ralph C. Hoewing	Maj.	Sep 1944	Jan 1945	n/a	Sep 9, 1944—USAAF Flight Test Training Unit set up at Wright Field, Ohio AT-6 introduced	[14] [15] [16]
2	"Dick" Muehlberg	Lt. Col.	Jan 1945	Jan 1946	n/a	B-25, B-17, P-51 introduced Jan 1945—School moved to Vandalia airport School renamed Flight Performance School Late 1945—School moved to Patterson field	[14] [17]
3	Ralph C. Hoewing	Maj.	Jan 1946	May 1947	n/a	Curriculum expanded to include Stability and Control testing	[17] [18]
4	Leonard I. Wiehrdt	Maj.	May 1947	Oct 1947	46D	Aug 1947—F-80 introduced	[17] [18]
5	Leo C. Moon	Lt. Col.	Oct 1947	Oct 1949	47	47—First USAF class. First class to fly jets School renamed Air Material Command Experimental Test Pilot School	[17] [19] [20]
6	Chilstrom, KenKen Chilstrom	Maj.	Oct 1949	Oct 1950	45	50C—Last class at Wright Field	[21] [22]
7	John R. Amann	Lt. Col.	Oct 1950	May 1956	49D	Feb 4, 1951—School moved to Edwards AFB (south base) 51A—First class held at Edwards AFB May 1951—T-28, B-26 introduced Apr 2, 1951—School renamed Air Research and Development Command Experimental Test Pilot School Jan 1, 1953—School renamed USAF Experimental Test Pilot School 1953—T-33, F-84 introduced Jun 9, 1955—School renamed USAF Flight Test School Mar 14, 1956—School moved to main base building 1220 1956—F-86, F-100 introduced	[22] [23] [24]
8	Herbert V. Leonhardt	Lt. Col.	May 1956	Jun 1959	55C	Jul 3, 1956—School emblem approved Jun 17, 1957—First student field trip overseas 1957—NB-57 introduced Curriculum expanded from six to eight months Number of classes per year reduced from four to three 1958—TF-102 introduced	[25] [26]
9	Richard C. Lathrop	Maj.	Jun 1959	Jun 1961	55D	60B—US Army helicopter test pilot course UH-1, F-104 introduced	[27] [28]
10	Robert M. Howe	Lt. Col.	Jun 1961	Jul 1962	49D, 52B	Jun 5, 1961—Aerospace Research Pilot Course introduced 1961—T-27 space flight simulator introduced Oct 12, 1961—School renamed USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School Late 1962—T-38 introduced	[28] [29] [30] [31]
11	Yeager, Charles E.Charles E. Yeager	Col.	Jul 1962	Jul 1966	46C, 51A	NF-101 introduced July 1, 1963—ARPS consolidated into TPS curriculum Number of classes per year reduced from three to two Calspan B-26, H-13 introduced Feb 7, 1966—First Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) class	[28] [32] [33]
12	Robert S. Buchanan	Col.	Jul 1966	May 1967	57A, I	F-106 introduced	[32] [34]
13	Deatrick Jr., Eugene P.Eugene P. Deatrick Jr.	Col.	May 1967	Jun 1968	51A, 53C	NF-104, NF-106 introduced	[32] [34]
14	George D. Hendrix	Lt. Col.	Jun 1968	Aug 1968	57A	n/a	[34]
15	Harold W. Christian, Jr.	Col.	Aug 1968	Jan 1971	52C	Gliders, A-7 introduced	[34] [35]
16	William J. Campbell	Col.	Jan 1971	Jul 1971	62C, IV	ARPS courses eliminated	[13] [36]
17	Aldrin, Edwin E. "Buzz"Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin	Col.	Jul 1971	Feb 1972	n/a	Systems Test Phase introduced	[35] [36]
18	Joseph A. Guthrie, Jr.	Col.	Feb 1972	Jul 1975	58C	Jul 1, 1972—School renamed USAF Test Pilot School RF-4 introduced Feb 26, 1973—Flight test engineer course initiated Calspan NT-33, NKC-135 introduced 74B—First student navigator and first female student flight test engineer Sep 1, 1975—Course expanded from 44 to 46 weeks	[36] [37]
19	Warwick H. Glasgow	Col.	Jul 1975	Dec 1977	65C	YA-7D DIGITAC, A-37 introduced	[37] [38]
20	Donald T. Ward	Col.	Jan 1978	Jun 1979	ETPS FW Course 25	May 19, 1979—Boyd Hall dedicated	[37] [38] [39]
21	Larry G. Van Pelt	Lt. Col.	Jun 1979	Aug 1979	66A	n/a	[37] [38]
22	Norman L. Suits	Col.	Aug 1979	Jun 1980	68A	n/a	[37] [38]
23	Donald E. Madonna*	Col.	Jun 1980	Mar 1982	66A	UV-18, U-6, Calspan LJ-24 introduced	[37] [40] [41]
24	Michael E. Sexton	Lt. Col.	Mar 1982	Jul 1982	69A	82B—Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) program with TPS begins	[40] [42]
25	Kenneth E. Staten	Col.	Jul 1982	Aug 1983	68A	n/a	[42] [43]
26	Melvin Hayashi	Col.	Aug 1983	Jul 1985	72B	Calspan Avionics Systems Test and Training Aircraft (ASTTA) NC-131 introduced	[44] [45]
27	Michael D. Marks	Col.	Jul 1985	Mar 1987	75A	Dec 5, 1986—Scobee Auditorium dedicated	[44] [45]
28	Michael C. Kostelnik	Col.	Mar 1987	Jul 1989	77A	88B—First female student test pilot enrolled Integrated Flight Data Acquisition System (IFDAPS) introduced	[42] [44] [46] [47]
29	Elton T. Pollock	Col.	Jul 1989	Jun 1991	76B	First USAF Reservist joined TPS staff Test management phase added to curriculum C-23 introduced	[45] [48] [49]
30	Gardner, Guy S.Guy S. Gardner	Col.	Jun 1991	Aug 1992	75A	NC-141 introduced	[48] [50] [51]
31	Harold T. Strittmatter	Col.	Aug 1992	Apr 1994	81B	F-16B, F-15B introduced	[48] [50]
32	James H. Doolittle III	Col.	Apr 1994	Aug 1996	79B	Sep 9, 1994—50th anniversary of USAF Test Pilot School 95B—First class to use individual student cubicles and Pentium laptops T-2, NF-16D Variable-Stability Inflight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA), F-15E introduced	[45] [48] [50] [49]
33	Barton E. Henwood	Col.	Aug 1996	Apr 1998	84A	NT-39 introduced First students to visit Russia's Air Force Flight Test Facility	[45] [52] [53]
34	Steve Cameron	Col.	Apr 1998	Jan 2001	85B	Students expand envelope of AGM-65 Maverick missile Students test crash avoidance system	[54] [55] [56]
35	George Ka'iliwai III	Col.	Jan 2001	Jun 2003	84B	First flight test engineer and non-rated TPS Commandant First TPS sponsorship of AFIT doctoral program	[57] [58] [59] [60]
36	Ernie H. Haendschke	Col.	Jun 2003	Jul 2005	87B	2003—Aerospace Vehicle Test Course introduced Nov 18, 2003—TPS receives Richard G. Cross Award from ITEA June 15, 2004—Pete Knight classroom dedicated	[61] [62] [63] [64] [65] [66]
37	Andre A. Gerner	Col.	Jul 2005	Jul 2007	91A	06B—First husband and wife team graduates Process begins to make TPS a Master of Science Program	[67] [68] [69]
38	Mike Luallen	Col.	Jul 2007	Jul 2010	92B	07B—First class to receive Master of Science in Flight Test Curriculum expanded to include unmanned aerial systems March 19, 2010—Mark Graziano classroom dedicated	[67] [69] [70] [71] [72]
39	Noel Zamot	Col.	Jul 2010	Jun 2012	93B	2011—First Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) test pilot 2012—Flight test course for enlisted personnel 2012—Cyber Systems Test Course introduced	[73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78]
40	Paul Meyer	Col.	Jun 2012	Aug 2012	n/a	First commandant from the Air Force Reserves First non-TPS graduate to serve as commandant since Buzz Aldrin	[79] [80]
41	Lars Hoffman	Col.	Aug 2012	Jul 2014	97A	Classroom renovations Modernized Systems curriculum	[79] [81] [82]
42	Charles Webb	Col.	Jul 2014	Present	TBS	n/a	[83]

Notable alumni

USAF TPS has produced many notable alumni including astronauts, record-setting aviators, and senior Air Force leaders.

Notes

1. USAF TPS Graduate Course Catalog. p. 14.
2. Air Force Instruction 99-107, Test Pilot School. p. 7.
3. Air Force Instruction 99-107, Test Pilot School. p. 8.
4. Air Force Instruction 99-107, Test Pilot School. p. 11.
5. USAF TPS Graduate Course Catalog. p. 9.
6. "U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School History". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
7. "Edwards Air Force Base". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
8. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 233.
9. Young, J. Forging Aerospace Power for America. pp. 3–4.
10. USAF TPS Graduate Course Catalog. p. 19.
11. USAF TPS Graduate Course Catalog. p. 18.
12. USAF TPS Graduate Course Catalog. p. 8.
13. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 50.
14. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 35–36.
15. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 240.
16. "Colonel Hoewing is New NRD Executive" (PDF). The Missileer (Washington, D.C.: United States Air Force) 5 (22): 1. 1966-04-07. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
17. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 241.
18. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 38.
19. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 40.
20. Lopez. Fighter Pilot's Heaven. p. 129.
21. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 69.
22. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 242.
23. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 41–45.
24. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 70.
25. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 43–46.
26. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 243.
27. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 45.
28. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 244.
29. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 47–48.
30. Allen. Space Flight Simulator. pp. 793–9.
31. Burgess. Fallen Astronauts. p. 13.
32. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 48–50.
33. Marrett. Contrails Over the Mojave. pp. 59–64.
34. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 245.
35. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 50–51.
36. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 246.
37. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 51–53.
38. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 247.
39. "Ward Biography". Texas A&M University. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
40. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 248.
41. "An Abbreviated History of the Class of 1959". United States Air Force Academy Association of Graduates. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
42. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 52–54.
43. "Staten Biography". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2008-06-15. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
44. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 249.
45. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 54.
46. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 57.
47. "Kostelnik Biography". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2008-06-13. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
48. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 250.
49. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. pp. 58–59.
50. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 55.
51. "Gardner Biography". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
52. USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. p. 251.
53. "Test Pilot School visits Russia". United States Air Force. 1997-05-27. Archived from the original on 2001-05-23. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
54. "Simulator lets students pilot variety of aircraft". Airman Magazine Online. United States Air Force. February 2001. Archived from the original on 2001-03-12. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
55. "Student test pilots tackle real projects". Desert Wings. United States Air Force. March 1999. Archived from the original on 2001-05-23. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
56. Sturim, Captain James (2000-11-03). "Class project tests crash avoidance system". Desert Wings. United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2001-05-10. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
57. "AIAA Ka'iliwai Biography" (PDF). AIAA Distinguished Lecture Program 2005. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. p. 40. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
58. "USAF Ka'iliwai Biography". Edwards Air Force Base. Archived from the original on 2003-01-06. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
59. Doner, Master Sgt. Stefanie (2001-03-21). "Test Pilot School commandant has Edwards and flight test in his blood". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2001-05-06. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
60. Hague, Capt. Catie (2003-07-18). "TPS sponsors AFIT doctoral program, searches for applicants". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2003-10-04. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
61. "Haendschke Biography" (PDF). Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
62. "USAF TPS". Edwards Air Force Base. Archived from the original on 2005-07-14. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
63. "New Test Pilot School Commandant". United States Air Force. 2003-06-13. Archived from the original on 2003-06-26. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
64. Hague, Capt. Catie (2003-08-01). "Test Pilot School reaches new heights with space test course". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2003-10-13. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
65. Hague, Capt. Catie (2003-11-21). "U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School wins ITEA award". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2003-12-06. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
66. Davis, Second Lt. Brooke (2004-06-18). "TPS dedicates classroom to honor late aviation legend". United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2006-07-26. Retrieved 2010-03-18.
67. "'Tench hut". Edwards Air Force Base. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
68. Perry, Della (2007-06-04). "U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School graduates 146th class". Edwards Air Force Base. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
69. Reyes, Julius Delos (2008-06-11). "TPS confers its first master's degrees". Edwards Air Force Base. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
70. Taylor, Annamaria (2008-06-10). "USAF Test Pilot School graduates class 07B". Edwards Air Force Base. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
71. "AFPC accepting applications for test pilot school". Edwards Air Force Base. 2009-07-07. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
72. Thuloweit, Kenji (2010-03-30). "USAF Test Pilot School Honors Major Graziano". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
73. Thuloweit, Kenji (2010-07-07). "Test Pilot School Welcomes New Commandant". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
74. Hennigan, W. J. (2011-02-09). "Nation's first drone test pilot trainee has the right-click stuff". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
75. "Two RPA pilots graduate top of class at test pilot school". United States Air Force. 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
76. Mowry, Laura (2012-04-25). "USAF TPS graduates first ever Enlisted Flight Test Course". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
77. Mowry, Laura (2012-05-14). "USAF TPS teaches students to fly, fight, win in cyberspace". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
78. Mowry, Laura (2012-06-20). "TPS commandant bids farewell to Edwards, retires after 25 years of service". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
79. Mowry, Laura (2012-08-08). "TPS welcomes new commandant". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
80. Terdiman, Daniel (2012-07-12). "Getting schooled with the Air Force's elite test pilots". CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
81. Mowry, Laura (2012-11-02). "Classroom renovations keep TPS students on cutting-edge". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
82. Mowry, Laura (2013-03-07). "Test Pilot School modernizes Systems curriculum". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2014-05-09.
83. Amber, Rebecca (2014-07-29). "Webb takes over as new TPS commandant". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2014-07-30.

References

• "Air Force Instruction 99-107, Test Pilot School" (PDF). Secretary of the Air Force. 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
• Allen, Clifford H., Jr.; Arthur B. Doty Jr.; Everett C. McCormick (June 1966). "Space Flight Simulator for U.S. Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School" (PDF). Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) 3 (6): 793–9. doi:10.2514/3.28539. ISSN 0022-4650. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
• Burgess, Colin; Kate Doolan; Bert Vis (2003). Fallen Astronauts: Heroes Who Died Reaching for the Moon. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 1-56098-457-0. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
• "Graduate Course Catalog and Student Handbook, 2007-08" (PDF). USAF TPS Curriculum Standards Division. 2007-06-22. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
• Lopez, Donald S. (1995). Fighter Pilot's Heaven: Flight Testing the Early Jets. Smithsonian Institution Press. ISBN 1-56098-457-0.
• Marrett, George J. (2008). Contrails Over the Mojave: The Golden Age of Jet Flight Testing at Edwards Air Force Base. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-511-2. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
• USAF Test Pilot School 50 Years and Beyond. Privately Published. 1994.
• Young, James O. (2007). "Forging Aerospace Power for America" (PDF). U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-12. Retrieved 2015-02-21.

External links

• "USAF Test Pilot School Fact Sheet". United States Air Force. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
• "Odd Sisters: B-2 Spirit/Calspan NC-131". NameMedia, Inc. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
• "The Pioneers: "Jackie" Parker". Monash University. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
• "Doolittle's son and grandson dedicate Tokyo Raid exhibit". Military Advantage. Retrieved 2008-09-07.