Since the moment I watched The Right Stuff, the hit movie of the 1980s, I became fascinated by the life of Test Pilots. Following in the film from Chuck Yeager’s breaking of the sound barrier in 1947 to the first suborbital flight of the Mercury program in 1961 made me want to be one of them
But it was a distant dream. There was only one course in Brazil, and I would have to be a military pilot
Today, 25 years later, I have made my dream a reality. SIRIUS is a school with civilian and military instructors who have extensive experience in flight testing. I never imagined having an instructor who graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School and who shares his experiences with us in the classroom. We have theoretical classes that cover everything from basic Physics to the performance of supersonic aircraft, including test techniques. In the PEV-2 course, we study aircraft ranging from general aviation to fighters like the F-16. Have you ever thought about receiving F-16 instruction in a professional simulator with an instructor who has actually flown the F-16? At Sirius, you will…
The theoretical classes precede the practical sessions in simulators and instrumented real aircraft
Another great aspect is the development of soft skills, especially teamwork. Our class is called Alfa, and we are a united group. We solve exercises that are sometimes challenging and help each other by sharing our experiences. It is a unique opportunity, with classmates who are Airbus Masters, Boeing pilots, aerobatic pilots, and more — in short, there is so much to learn
All this is to say that I feel proud to be a member of the Sirius Alfa class