Launching Our 70th Year with Purpose and Unity
Dear SETP Members,
It is my distinct honor to serve as your President as we embark on the 70th year of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. I am deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me and for the opportunity to work alongside such a dedicated and accomplished Board of Directors.
As we begin this milestone year, I want to acknowledge the outstanding leadership of our outgoing President, Andrew McFarland (AF), and the tireless efforts of our committees and volunteers. Their work has laid a strong foundation for the initiatives we will pursue together in the coming months.
Our focus this year will be fourfold:
- 1. Strengthening our Membership and Member Engagement: We will continue refining our membership and upgrade processes to ensure they reflect the evolving needs of our community and that our new test pilots maintain a viable path to membership. We had a very strong annual symposium again this year, thank you to all who participated and to everyone who made the event such a success. I strongly encourage all members to remain active in your section events throughout the year. They offer a great opportunity to get to know your fellow test pilots in a smaller setting where strong bonds and mentorships are formed. Our new members are the lifeblood of the Society and we need to ensure they feel welcome and feel a sense of community within our organization.
2. Expanding Educational Outreach: SETP remains committed to promoting flight test safety and professional development. We will enhance our outreach to test pilot schools and industry partners, and support initiatives that bring flight test knowledge to broader audiences. In this new age of expanding aerospace vehicle development, it is vital for us to increase our industry contacts to the plethora of new aviation companies.
3. Maintaining our Safety Focus: Safety remains the cornerstone of our profession. This year, we will expand our Flight Test Safety Committee’s efforts to include new data-sharing protocols, enhanced incident reporting tools, and collaborative workshops with international partners. We aim to foster a culture of transparency and continuous learning, ensuring that lessons from every flight test are shared and applied across the community. In particular, we will be looking into ways to improve the SETP website and paper search functions.
4. Celebrating Our Legacy: Our history is one of the things that sets us apart as an organization. As I look to all those who came before me, I am in awe of their accomplishments, dedication and drive. The SETP Foundation’s Historical Committee is re-igniting the oral history program, and we will fully support their efforts in every way possible. Speaking of creating legacies, congratulations to NASA, Lockheed Martin and the entire X-59 QueSST team on a successful first flight today, well done!
I also want to extend congratulations to our newly elected officers and section leaders. Your leadership is vital to the continued success of SETP, and I look forward to working with each of you.
Let us move forward with the same spirit of innovation, professionalism, and camaraderie that has defined SETP since its founding. Together, we will honor our past and shape the future of experimental flight testing.
Warm regards,
Kelly Latimer (F)
President, Society of Experimental Test Pilots