11E1 Career Guide
11E1: Flight Test Engineer
Career transition guide for Air Force Flight Test Engineer (11E1)
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Top civilian roles for 11E1 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Aerospace Engineer
Skills to develop:
Flight Test Engineer
Skills to develop:
Avionics Systems Engineer
Skills to develop:
Quality Assurance Engineer (Aerospace)
Skills to develop:
Technical Writer (Aerospace)
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 11E1 training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
As a Flight Test Engineer, you develop a deep understanding of complex aircraft systems and how they interact. You create mental models to predict performance and identify potential issues during testing.
This ability to understand and model complex systems translates directly to roles that require analyzing intricate processes and predicting outcomes.
Situational Awareness
During flight tests, you maintain a high level of situational awareness, constantly monitoring aircraft performance, environmental conditions, and potential hazards to ensure safety and mission success.
Your heightened awareness and ability to process multiple streams of information make you adept at identifying and mitigating risks in dynamic environments.
After-Action Analysis
You meticulously analyze flight test data to identify discrepancies, understand the root causes of issues, and recommend improvements to aircraft design and operational procedures.
This analytical rigor and focus on continuous improvement are valuable in any role that requires problem-solving and optimizing performance.
Rapid Prioritization
In the fast-paced environment of flight testing, you must quickly assess situations, prioritize tasks, and make critical decisions under pressure to ensure the safety of the crew and the success of the mission.
Your ability to rapidly assess and prioritize in dynamic environments makes you invaluable in fields where quick, decisive action is required.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Management Consultant
SOC 13-1111You've been trained to analyze complex systems, identify problems, and recommend solutions. Your flight test experience gives you a unique perspective on how to improve performance and efficiency, making you a valuable asset to organizations seeking to optimize their operations.
Risk Manager
SOC 13-2054You've developed a keen eye for potential hazards and a proactive approach to mitigating risks. Your experience in flight testing, where safety is paramount, makes you well-suited to assess and manage risks in various industries, ensuring the protection of assets and personnel.
Process Improvement Specialist
SOC 13-1111Your experience in analyzing flight test data and recommending improvements translates directly to optimizing processes in civilian industries. You've honed your skills in identifying inefficiencies, streamlining workflows, and implementing solutions to enhance productivity.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Flight Test Engineer Course, Edwards AFB, CA
Topics Covered
- •Flight Test Planning
- •Data Acquisition and Analysis
- •Instrumentation and Systems Integration
- •Aircraft Performance Evaluation
- •Stability and Control Testing
- •Structural Integrity Testing
- •Test Reporting and Documentation
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Formal civilian-sector test and evaluation methodologies, specific statistical analysis techniques, and potentially some regulatory frameworks unique to civilian aviation or aerospace testing.
Formal project management methodologies (PMBOK), specific project management tools and software, and possibly some aspects of cost and risk management within a civilian business context.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Telemetry Systems | Data Acquisition Systems (DAQ) |
| Flight Test Instrumentation Systems (FTIS) | Aerospace Telemetry and Data Processing Software (e.g., National Instruments LabVIEW, MATLAB) |
| MIL-STD-1553 Data Bus Analyzers | Aerospace data bus analysis tools (e.g., Alta Data Technologies, Ballard Technology) |
| Airborne Video Recording Systems (AVRS) | High-resolution video recording and analysis software (e.g., Sony, Panasonic systems integrated with video analysis software) |
| Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) | High-precision GPS/INS units (e.g., Honeywell, L3Harris, used in surveying, autonomous vehicles) |
| Flight Simulators | Aviation Simulation Software (e.g., X-Plane, Microsoft Flight Simulator, professional-grade simulators) |
| Mission Planning Systems | Flight planning software (e.g., ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot) |
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