Test pilots push the limits and evaluate experimental aircraft and systems. They learn these skills at United States Naval Test Pilot School.
It takes a certain fearlessness to fly and evaluate experimental or newly-modified aircraft. The brave individuals who become test pilots do just that: they fly those aircraft and test new technologies. Test pilots have allowed us to break the speed of sound, pioneered blind flying, and pushed us to the edge of space. Each of these advancements has made air travel safer and more efficient. Join the STEM in 30 team as they take you inside the United States Naval Test Pilot School!
STEM in 30 is a free educational series for kids produced by the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. We cover all the cool, fun, and weird ways that aviation and spaceflight touch our lives. Check out more episodes: https://airandspace.si.edu/stem-30