12E14 Career Guide
12E14: Flight Test Engineer
Career transition guide for Air Force Flight Test Engineer (12E14)
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Top civilian roles for 12E14 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Aerospace Engineer
Skills to develop:
Flight Test Engineer
Avionics Systems Engineer
Skills to develop:
Project Manager (Aerospace)
Skills to develop:
Technical Writer (Aerospace)
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 12E14 training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
As a Flight Test Engineer, you built and utilized complex models of aircraft and related systems to predict performance and identify potential issues before and during flight tests.
This ability to create and manipulate system models translates directly to understanding and optimizing complex systems in various civilian industries, allowing you to forecast outcomes and improve efficiency.
Situational Awareness
During flight tests, you maintained a high degree of situational awareness, monitoring numerous data points and coordinating with multiple stakeholders to ensure safety and mission success.
Your honed situational awareness allows you to quickly assess dynamic environments, anticipate potential problems, and make informed decisions under pressure, making you invaluable in roles requiring quick thinking and decisive action.
After-Action Analysis
You meticulously analyzed flight test data and outcomes to identify areas for improvement in aircraft design, operational procedures, and testing methodologies.
Your expertise in after-action analysis means you excel at identifying root causes, developing corrective actions, and implementing preventative measures, skills highly sought after in industries focused on continuous improvement and risk management.
Rapid Prioritization
In the high-stakes environment of flight testing, you had to rapidly prioritize tasks and resources to address emerging issues and maintain the safety and efficiency of operations.
Your ability to rapidly prioritize tasks and make critical decisions under pressure translates to effectively managing competing demands and ensuring timely completion of objectives in dynamic civilian settings.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Management Consultant
SOC 13-1111You've been rigorously trained to analyze complex systems, identify inefficiencies, and implement effective solutions. Your experience in flight testing translates directly to consulting, where you'll be advising organizations on how to improve their operations and achieve their goals.
Risk Management Analyst
SOC 13-2054You've been deeply involved in identifying and mitigating risks associated with flight operations. Your expertise in assessing potential hazards and developing preventative measures makes you ideally suited for a role in risk management, where you'll be helping organizations protect their assets and achieve their objectives.
Project Manager (Aerospace)
SOC 11-9041You've been managing complex flight test programs, coordinating resources, and ensuring timely completion of objectives. This experience makes you a natural fit for project management roles, especially within the aerospace sector, where you'll be leading teams and delivering successful projects.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB
Topics Covered
- •Flight Test Planning
- •Data Analysis and Interpretation
- •Aircraft Systems Integration
- •Test Card Development
- •Risk Management in Flight Test
- •Aerodynamics and Performance Evaluation
- •Instrumentation and Data Acquisition
- •Flight Test Safety
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Formal certification process requires specific experience documentation and exam. Study specific test and evaluation methodologies outside of military flight testing.
While experience includes project management, PMP requires a formal understanding of PMI's framework, including the 49 project management processes. Study the PMBOK guide.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Telemetry Systems (various) | Real-time data acquisition and analysis software (e.g., LabVIEW, MATLAB Data Acquisition Toolbox) |
| MIL-STD-1553 Data Bus Analyzers | Aerospace data bus test equipment (e.g., Ballard Technology, AIM GmbH) |
| Flight Test Instrumentation Systems (FTIS) | Integrated flight data recorders and analysis systems (e.g., Curtiss-Wright, Teletronics Technology Corporation) |
| Global Positioning System (GPS) Flight Following Systems | High-precision GPS tracking and flight management software (e.g., FlightAware, ForeFlight) |
| Airborne Video Recording Systems (AVRS) | High-definition video and data capture systems for aerial applications (e.g., GoPro, Blackmagic Design) |
| Electronic Warfare (EW) Simulators | RF signal generators and analysis tools (e.g., Keysight, Rohde & Schwarz) |
| Aircraft Performance Analysis Software (Proprietary) | Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and flight simulation software (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, X-Plane Professional) |
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