Celebrating World Pilots' Day

"When testing an aircraft we test all what needs to be tested to ensure that the aircraft can safely carry passengers. That includes all the systems of the plane, so everything that allows it to fly and to ensure passenger comfort. That's why there are not only pilots on board the aircraft, but also flight test and test flight engineers." _{Jean-Philippe Cottet, Head of Airbus Flight Test}

"I wouldn’t say I get nervous flying a new aircraft for the first time, rather excited. Before we do a first flight, in my case it was the A321XLR, we are preparing for 3 or 4 months in simulators, analysing all the possible emergencies, all failure cases. So when we do the first flight the whole team is very well prepared." _{Gabriel Diaz De Villegas Giron, Experimental Test Pilot}

"During a test flight the Flight Test Engineer conducts the flight. This means that he manages the sequence of test points in order to be the most efficient possible in a single flight." _{Jean-Philippe Cottet, Head of Airbus Flight Test}

"The best part of my job.. obviously it’s flying, that’s what we do almost every day. But I would say that the nice thing of my job is the team that we have. Without the Flight test Engineers we can’t do any tests, without the ground test engineer and all the people who are preparing the aircraft we’re not able to do any tests – we need to work as a team. So I would say, obviously flying, but in a team." _{Gabriel Diaz De Villegas Giron, Experimental Test Pilot}

"People keep asking me why the orange flight suit. I must say that it’s mainly a tradition. In the old days people were wearing orange suits in order to be found easily. Nowadays, we wear the suit because it's easy to wear and it’s also protecting us against fire. In addition – it’s pretty cool!" _{Jean-Philippe Cottet, Head of Airbus Flight Test}

"In Flight Test we do different campaigns to perform certification flights. For some certification flights we have to go to areas very hot, others areas very cold. I would say that the most remote part of the world we’ve been in is in Daocheng Airport, close to Tibet. We went there with the A320 to perform a high altitude campaign. It was pretty high – elevation was more than 14000 feet (+4200 metre), and we had to perform some take-offs, landings and touch-and-goes during which and we even had to use oxygen." _{Gabriel Diaz De Villegas Giron, Experimental Test Pilot}