Pilot Careers
I Get Paid for This…
Troy Caudill Tried and tested: Troy Caudill gets to fly the world’s first commercial fly-by-wire helicopter in all sorts of manoeuvres. Interview by Yayeri van Baarsen
How did you get into flying?
I’ve wanted to fly from a very young age. My dad worked at different air bases and several family members were pilots, so I started learning to fly after college. At flight school, everyone wanted to fly jets. Not me: after my first heli lesson, I knew I was going to be a helicopter pilot. Tell us about your job?
I’m the lead test pilot for the 525 programme, which is based at Bell’s Flight Research Centre in Arlington, Texas. A lot of my time is spent writing reports and Flying CV reviewing test plans, it’s about 70% Experimental helicopter test pilot paperwork and 30% flying. Still, I get to fly Troy Caudill is the lead test pilot on three to four times a week and use the the Bell 525 Relentless programme simulator a lot to check out software. Started current job October 2002 The type of flying depends on what’s Now flying Bell 525 Relentless, Bell 429 tested, for example handling qualities or GlobalRanger, Bell 407 Favourite aircraft Bell AH-1 Cobra. “The first performance. We’ve just completed checking time I stepped into one, it was like a shoe that at what altitude and air speed you can fits perfectly” survive an engine failure (H/V tests). For Hours at job start Approx. 4,500 this, we work with an expanding envelope, Hours now Approx. 6,700 building it up gradually. Some tests go quickly, with others you repeat the same manoeuvre over and over again, just with a different gross weight or CofG. I’ve been with the 525’s test What’s been your favourite flight? programme almost from day one, when it started as a clean-sheet The ordnance testing we did as part of the H-1 upgrade design, and it’s been great seeing it evolve. programme in 2004, developing the AH-1Z Viper and the Right now we’re heavily involved in the certification process, UH-1Y Venom. I really liked these flights as I got to fire rockets which is quite tedious. We’re planning to get the helicopter and guns from the helicopter at the Yuma ranges. Although there certified later this year. Experience is essential in my job. Most are no high explosives on the missile, we did use inert ammo in tests require you to know the systems inside out, this knowledge these tests, which is pretty cool. I’m waiting for them to put some you only get from experience. In order to do a thorough job, you guns on the 525 for me, but somehow I doubt they’ll do this… have to really understand the aircraft and the systems that you’re testing. It goes without saying that good flying skills are also And your favourite airfield? needed. For a test pilot, flying should be second nature. Yuma Airfield, because I love the desert. It’s got a dry heat and as In my opinion, it’s one of the best jobs out there as you get to fly I get older, I like it warmer. Also, MCAS Yuma is a joint-use, the new aircraft and test the new systems. It’s still a challenge for civilian-military airport and I enjoy being close to my fellow me, especially in a new aircraft. You always want to hit the marines – I miss my time in the Marine Corps. parameters. I particularly like the riskier tests but I can’t do every one of them as all test pilots are Type A personalities – everyone Do you get to fly much outside work? wants to do the tough stuff. Currently I’m really busy with the 525 programme, but a couple of years ago I did some GA-style flying. I’d fly anything I could What training did you have? rent and would mainly go on local trips, flying somewhere for I went to the US Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, lunch to keep current, the typical ‘$100 hamburger’ flights. Maryland, where I graduated in 1996. Afterwards I joined the Naval Helicopter Test Squadron, also based in Pax River, where I What’s your most valuable career advice? flew lots of different aircraft. In my last two years in service, I was Find a job you love doing and you’ll never have to work a day in an instructor at the test pilot school. Since I’m a Cobra pilot by your life. trade, working for Bell would give me the chance to fly the Cobra In my job, although the paperwork feels like work, the flying again. I actively pursued this and joined the company in 2002. definitely doesn’t!
“In a new aircraft, you always want to hit the parameters”
18 | FLYER | June 2021
