PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION, MD—The United States Naval Test Pilot School will host its 57th annual symposium and reunion here on April 14 - 15. The symposium and reunion provide a forum for the exchange of aviation research, development, test and evaluation information and also establish a vehicle for the renewal of professional acquaintances within the test and evaluation community. Please note several format changes have been made to the reunion over previous years’ events.

This year’s event kicks off with a four-person scramble golf tournament beginning at 8:00 a.m. on April 14. A hole-in-one prize of a 2005 Ford vehicle, courtesy of Aldridge Ford, will be presented to the first person that gets a hole-in-one on the designated par three. The golf tournament will be followed by a casual evening reception at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.

Events begin on April 15 with a continental breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by a Technical Symposium from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The symposium will be comprised of eight presentations chosen from submissions on current test projects at NAS Patuxent River, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division China Lake, Calif., NAWCWD Point Mugu, Calif., Fort Rucker, Ala., Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Edwards AFB, Calif. The program will provide an opportunity for publicity and professional acknowledgment of current efforts of USNTPS alumni.

Abstracts for proposed presentations are due no later than March 15 to Craig Nixon, the USNTPS Technical Symposium point of contact. Nixon can be reached at 301-757-4143 or DSN 757-4143, or via e-mail to [email protected]. Submissions may be faxed to 301-342-5003. Selections will be made by March 21.

Naval Test Wing Atlantic will hold its awards luncheon at 11:30 a.m. April 15 at the Cedar Point Officers’ Club. The Commander, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and representatives of several civic groups will recognize the top test pilot, test naval flight officer, test engineer, and Test Pilot School instructor. A buffet lunch will be served and a speaker will address the group. The day's activities end with a "fly-in" social at 5 p.m. at the Bachelor Officers’ Quarters Flight Deck Lounge.

Alumni who have not been in contact with the school recently are asked to send their mailing addresses to:

Commanding Officer
U.S. Naval Test Pilot School
22783 Cedar Point Road
Patuxent River, MD 20670-1160

Alumni also may contact the alumni clerk at 301-757-5013 or 301-757-5010.

For more information, contact reunion coordinators CW4 Rob Pupalaikis at 301-757-4142 or e-mail: [email protected] or Richard Greenleaf at 301-757-5018 or e-mail: [email protected]. Visit the USNTPS Web site at http://www.usntps.navy.mil or e-mail the school at [email protected] for more information.
—USN—