NASA photo of the aftermath of a full-scale demonstration of light aircraft crash survivability.

by Ed Solski

Flight test safety might sound like an oxymoron to those unfamiliar with the business of testing aircraft by flying them. The typical perception of those who don’t understand flight testing is that of a group of daredevil pilots trying to rip the wings off a new airplane with little or no regard to the danger involved—loving the danger, in fact. Movies like The Right Stuff did a lot to create this image and misperception.

The truth is, people in the business of testing airplanes are probably the most conservative group of aviation professionals who fly. There are a number of reasons this is the case, not least of which…