The Ramifications of Utilizing Test Pilot Graduates as Individual Augmentees

EMBA Project Report === EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This study was chartered with the purpose of evaluating the short- and long-term effects of using Test Pilots to fill Individual Augmentation (IA) billets in the support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). These aviation billets are essential to the test...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Battaglia, Nicole, Baron, Jonathon, Conlon, Christopher, McNeil, Don
Other Authors: Crawford, Alice
Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10945/7049
Description
Summary:EMBA Project Report === EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: This study was chartered with the purpose of evaluating the short- and long-term effects of using Test Pilots to fill Individual Augmentation (IA) billets in the support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). These aviation billets are essential to the test and acquisition workforce to ensure that viable new weapon systems are introduced to the Fleet in a timely manner, especially since test project workloads in Naval Aviation continue to rise. Our study primarily examined helicopter programs currently delayed or at risk of going over budget due to reduced manning, as well as an analysis of the return on investment for Test Pilots when they are assigned an IA. The following key observations were made during our research: 1) Each test squadron has determined their minimum, or red-line, level of manning by analyzing current and future workload requirements. 2) Test Pilots are expensive to train and the rate of return on investment is greatly diminished if their payback tour is interrupted by an IA. 3) The Navy can improve its “rip to fill” way of filling IA billets. As a result, we have provided the following recommendations on how Naval Aviation Systems Command (NAVAIR) can better manage the process in which IA billets are filled: 1) Seek formal exemption of project officer billets from IAs. 2) Increase the manning level for naval test squadrons. 3) Make IAs more predictable. 4) Assign naval test squadrons specific recurring IA billets. 5) Internally (voluntarily) exempt project officers from IAs.