Saab and ETPS have agreed on a five-week training campaign to be conducted each year. The 2011 ETPS course included a one week Instructor re-qualification & training campaign in May for the four Gripen qualified Instructors. A five week student training campaign followed in August/September for the six test pilot students and five Flight Test Engineer students on the years’ Graduate course.
Students from all over the world
Each course typically comprises three Instructor Pilots and a group of test pilot students. The ETPS is an international organisation and its Gripen students are drawn from the UK as well as from other countries. Graduates have come from the UK’s Royal Air Force, Australia, France, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, USA, Holland and Singapore. For the 2011 course, students were selected from the UK’s Royal Air Force, Germany, USA, France, India, and Australia.
ETPS Gripen in the air. Photo: Jamie Hunter.