The U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) welcomed 35 new graduates June 13 in a ceremony at the River’s Edge Catering and Conference Center at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

Class 145, comprising members of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force and service members from Norway, Italy, Singapore, Sweden and the United Kingdom completed the intense 10-month course and graduated as test pilots, test naval flight officers and test engineers.

 

Keynote speaker Rear Adm. Mark Darrah, commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, told students they should be proud of their achievements, noting that the course is not easy. He also set high expectations for their future during what he called “an incredibly challenging time.”

 

“We’re going to expect every one of you to do what is necessary to ensure that your brothers and sisters in arms are able to operate aircraft in combat situations against those who are trying to take them out of the air,” Darrah said. “You need to do it safely and do it effectively because there are people on the ground that count on it.”

Despite challenges, including inclement weather this past winter that forced base closures and the cancellation of flight tests, the students flew more than 3,800 sorties. Class 145 was the first to do an unmanned aerial system developmental testing phase two (DT-2), similar to a thesis project, and is one of few classes in which every student who began the program graduated together.

“Individuals don’t finish this course. Classes finish this course,” Darrah said. “The fact that this group finished this course as a team speaks volumes about the teamwork.”

USNTPS then presented diplomas to each of the graduates and conferred awards to three of the top performing students — Navy Lt. Jeffrey Sharp was honored with the Developmental Testing Thesis Award, Marine Corps Maj. John Dirk received the Sid Sherby Award for exemplary leadership, and Swedish Air Force Capt. Marcus Wandt was awarded the Cmdr. Willie McCool Outstanding Student Award.

USNTPS provides instruction to experienced pilots, flight officers and engineers in the processes and techniques of aircraft and systems test and evaluation. The school investigates and develops new flight test techniques, publishes manuals for use of the aviation test community for standardization of flight test techniques and project reporting, and conducts special projects. USNTPS maintains its staff as a focal point of expertise, providing the aviation test community with engineering and training consultation.

Graduates earning master’s degrees in aeronautical engineering

  • Navy Lt. Bradley Fairfax
  • Navy Lt. Devin Holmes
  • Navy Lt. D. Tyler Hurst
  • Navy Lt. Will Nuse
  • Navy Lt. Benjamin Scheideman

Graduates from the USNTPS engineering test pilot course

  • Royal Air Force Flight Lt. David Arnold
  • Marine Corps Maj. David Bachta
  • Marine Corps Maj. John Dirk
  • Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 C. Morgan Fruchtnicht
  • Navy Lt. Travis Hartman
  • Navy Lt. Mitchell Hays
  • Navy Lt. Peter Jaglom