# Commandants of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School

The commanding officer of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF TPS) is known as its Commandant. The commandant leads the school which combines Air Force Materiel Command's (AFMC) most complex flying unit encompassing nearly 4,000 flight hours in over 30 aircraft types annually, and Air University's (AU) most demanding Master of Science degree encompassing over 50 credit hours. The position is usually held by a colonel selected by the AFMC commander although this authority may be delegated to the commander of the Air Force Test Center (AFTC). The commandant oversees all flying training, academic instruction, budgeting, and curriculum administration at the school. The commandant also chairs a board of officers that selects the school's students. The selection board consists of flight test squadron commanders with a majority of the board members being TPS graduates. Every three years, the commandant conducts a review of the school's curriculum with participation from flight test squadrons, the U.S. Naval TPS, and operational squadrons.
The school's mission is to "create test leaders, develop school staff and conduct test research to accelerate multidomain capabilities to the warfighter." Its vision is "testers, leaders, thinkers and innovators in the mold of Jimmy Doolittle." Its ethos is "credible, adaptable, warfighter-focused." The school has three courses: the Flight Test Course (FTC), the Space Test Course (STC), and the Enlisted Test Course (ETC). The FTC develops Experimental Test Pilots, Experimental Flight Test Engineers, Experimental Test Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilots, and Experimental Test Combat Systems Officers. The STC develops Space Test Engineers and the ETC develops Enlisted Testers across a wide range of Air Force Specialty Codes. In total, the school graduates approximately 90 students each year.
The school was established on September 9, 1944 as the Flight Test Training Unit at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Dayton, Ohio. To take advantage of the uncongested skies and superb flying weather, the school was moved on February 4, 1951 to its present location at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of Southern California. Edwards AFB is the home of the Air Force Test Center and has been an integral part of flight testing since the 1940s.
Between 1962 and 1972, the Test Pilot School expanded its role to include astronaut training for military test pilots. Thirty-seven TPS graduates of this era were selected for the U.S. space program, and twenty-six went on to earn astronaut's wings by flying in the X-15, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. Although the school no longer trains astronauts, many TPS graduates since 1972 have been selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for duties in space. The school encourages applications from civilians, personnel from other U.S. military services, and individuals from foreign countries. An exchange program allows selected students to attend other test pilot schools including the United States Naval Test Pilot School, the United Kingdom's Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS), and France's École du personnel navigant d'essais et de réception (EPNER).

## Commandants

The following list provides a complete list of commandants of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. The table contains their name, rank, dates as commandant, the TPS class from which they graduated (if applicable), and notable events that occurred during their tenure at the school.

### Key

| Rank | Military rank | The rank shown is at the time the individual served as commandant. |
| Class | Year/Letter | The year and order in which a class started. For example, 07A was the first of two classes to start in 2007. |
| Class | Roman Numeral | Four Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) classes designated I, II, III, and IV, that prepared students for manned spaceflight operations. These classes were dropped when the USAF lost its manned spaceflight mission. |
| Events | "introduced" | Indicates an aircraft type was first made available for use by TPS students. This date is usually much later than the aircraft entered USAF service. |

### List of Commandants

* Individual was killed in an aviation-related accident.
| No | Name | Rank | From | To | Class | Notable events during tenure | Ref |
| 1 | Ralph C. Hoewing | O-04Maj. | 1944-09Sep 1944 | 1945-01Jan 1945 | n/a | Sep 9, 1944—USAAF Flight Test Training Unit set up at Wright Field, Ohio AT-6 introduced | [16] [17] [18] |
| 2 | "Dick" Muehlberg | O-05Lt. Col. | 1945-01Jan 1945 | 1946-01Jan 1946 | n/a | B-25, B-17, P-51 introduced Jan 1945—School moved to Vandalia airport School renamed Flight Performance School Late 1945—School moved to Patterson field | [16] [19] |
| 3 | Ralph C. Hoewing | O-04Maj. | 1946-01Jan 1946 | 1947-05May 1947 | n/a | Curriculum expanded to include Stability and Control testing | [19] [20] |
| 4 | Leonard I. Wiehrdt | O-04Maj. | 1947-05May 1947 | 1947-10Oct 1947 | 1946-0446D | Aug 1947—F-80 introduced | [19] [20] |
| 5 | Leo C. Moon | O-05Lt. Col. | 1947-10Oct 1947 | 1949-10Oct 1949 | 1947-0147 | 47—First USAF class. First class to fly jets School renamed Air Material Command Experimental Test Pilot School | [19] [21] [22] |
| 6 | Ken Chilstrom | O-04Maj. | 1949-10Oct 1949 | 1950-10Oct 1950 | 1945-0145 | 50C—Last class at Wright Field | [23] [24] |
| 7 | John R. Amann | O-05Lt. Col. | 1950-10Oct 1950 | 1956-05May 1956 | 1949-0449D | Feb 4, 1951—School moved to Edwards AFB (south base) 51A—First class held at Edwards AFB May 1951—T-28, B-26 introduced Apr 2, 1951—School renamed Air Research and Development Command Experimental Test Pilot School Jan 1, 1953—School renamed USAF Experimental Test Pilot School 1953—T-33, F-84 introduced Jun 9, 1955—School renamed USAF Flight Test School Mar 14, 1956—School moved to main base building 1220 1956—F-86, F-100 introduced | [24] [25] [26] |
| 8 | Herbert V. Leonhardt | O-05Lt. Col. | 1956-05May 1956 | 1959-06Jun 1959 | 1955-0355C | Jul 3, 1956—School emblem approved Jun 17, 1957—First student field trip overseas 1957—NB-57 introduced Curriculum expanded from six to eight months Number of classes per year reduced from four to three 1958—TF-102 introduced | [27] [28] |
| 9 | Richard C. Lathrop | O-04Maj. | 1959-06Jun 1959 | 1961-06Jun 1961 | 1955-0455D | 60B—US Army helicopter test pilot course UH-1, F-104 introduced | [29] [30] |
| 10 | Robert M. Howe | O-05Lt. Col. | 1961-06Jun 1961 | 1962-07Jul 1962 | 1949-0449D, 52B | Jun 5, 1961—Aerospace Research Pilot Course introduced 1961—T-27 space flight simulator introduced Oct 12, 1961—School renamed USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School Late 1962—T-38 introduced | [30] [31] [32] [33] |
| 11 | Charles E. Yeager | O-06Col. | 1962-07Jul 1962 | 1966-07Jul 1966 | 1946-0346C, 51A | NF-101 introduced July 1, 1963—ARPS consolidated into TPS curriculum Number of classes per year reduced from three to two Calspan B-26, H-13 introduced Feb 7, 1966—First Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) class | [30] [34] [35] |
| 12 | Robert S. Buchanan | O-06Col. | 1966-07Jul 1966 | 1967-05May 1967 | 1957-0157A, I | F-106 introduced | [34] [36] |
| 13 | Eugene P. Deatrick Jr. | O-06Col. | 1967-05May 1967 | 1968-06Jun 1968 | 1951-0151A, 53C | NF-104, NF-106 introduced | [34] [36] |
| 14 | George D. Hendrix | O-05Lt. Col. | 1968-06Jun 1968 | 1968-08Aug 1968 | 1957-0157A | n/a | |
| 15 | Harold W. Christian, Jr. | O-06Col. | 1968-08Aug 1968 | 1971-01Jan 1971 | 1952-0352C | Gliders, A-7 introduced | [36] [37] |
| 16 | William J. Campbell | O-06Col. | 1971-01Jan 1971 | 1971-07Jul 1971 | 1962-0362C, IV | ARPS courses eliminated | [15] [38] |
| 17 | Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin | O-06Col. | 1971-07Jul 1971 | 1972-02Feb 1972 | n/a | Systems Test Phase introduced | [37] [38] |
| 18 | Joseph A. Guthrie, Jr. | O-06Col. | 1972-02Feb 1972 | 1975-07Jul 1975 | 1958-0358C | Jul 1, 1972—School renamed USAF Test Pilot School RF-4 introduced Feb 26, 1973—Flight test engineer course initiated Calspan NT-33, NKC-135 introduced 74B—First student navigator and first female student flight test engineer Sep 1, 1975—Course expanded from 44 to 46 weeks | [38] [39] |
| 19 | Warwick H. Glasgow | O-06Col. | 1975-07Jul 1975 | 1977-12Dec 1977 | 1965-0365C | YA-7D DIGITAC, A-37 introduced | [39] [40] |
| 20 | Donald T. Ward | O-06Col. | 1978-01Jan 1978 | 1979-06Jun 1979 | ETPS FW Course 25 | May 19, 1979—Boyd Hall dedicated | [39] [40] [41] |
| 21 | Larry G. Van Pelt | O-05Lt. Col. | 1979-06Jun 1979 | 1979-08Aug 1979 | 1966-0166A | n/a | [39] [40] |
| 22 | Norman L. Suits | O-06Col. | 1979-08Aug 1979 | 1980-06Jun 1980 | 1968-0168A | n/a | [39] [40] |
| 23 | Donald E. Madonna* | O-06Col. | 1980-06Jun 1980 | 1982-03Mar 1982 | 1966-0166A | UV-18, U-6, Calspan LJ-24 introduced | [39] [42] [43] |
| 24 | Michael E. Sexton | O-05Lt. Col. | 1982-03Mar 1982 | 1982-07Jul 1982 | 1969-0169A | 82B—Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) program with TPS begins | [42] [44] |
| 25 | Kenneth E. Staten | O-06Col. | 1982-07Jul 1982 | 1983-08Aug 1983 | 1968-0168A | n/a | [44] [45] |
| 26 | Melvin Hayashi | O-06Col. | 1983-08Aug 1983 | 1985-07Jul 1985 | 1972-0272B | Calspan Avionics Systems Test and Training Aircraft (ASTTA) NC-131 introduced | [46] [47] |
| 27 | Michael D. Marks | O-06Col. | 1985-07Jul 1985 | 1987-03Mar 1987 | 1975-0175A | Dec 5, 1986—Scobee Auditorium dedicated | [46] [47] |
| 28 | Michael C. Kostelnik | O-06Col. | 1987-03Mar 1987 | 1989-07Jul 1989 | 1977-0177A | 88B—First female student test pilot enrolled Integrated Flight Data Acquisition System (IFDAPS) introduced | [44] [46] [48] [49] |
| 29 | Elton T. Pollock | O-06Col. | 1989-07Jul 1989 | 1991-06Jun 1991 | 1976-0276B | First USAF Reservist joined TPS staff Test management phase added to curriculum C-23 introduced | [47] [50] [51] |
| 30 | Guy S. Gardner | O-06Col. | 1991-06Jun 1991 | 1992-08Aug 1992 | 1975-0175A | NC-141 introduced | [50] [52] [53] |
| 31 | Harold T. Strittmatter | O-06Col. | 1992-08Aug 1992 | 1994-04Apr 1994 | 1981-0281B | F-16B, F-15B introduced | [50] [52] |
| 32 | James H. Doolittle III | O-06Col. | 1994-04Apr 1994 | 1996-08Aug 1996 | 1979-0279B | Sep 9, 1994—50th anniversary of USAF Test Pilot School 95B—First class to use individual student cubicles and Pentium laptops T-2, NF-16D Variable-Stability Inflight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA), F-15E introduced | [47] [50] [52] [51] |
| 33 | Barton E. Henwood | O-06Col. | 1996-08Aug 1996 | 1998-04Jul 1999 | 1984-0184A | NT-39 introduced First students to visit Russia's Air Force Flight Test Facility | [47] [54] [55] |
| 34 | Steve Cameron | O-06Col. | 1998-04Jul 1999 | 2001-01Jan 2001 | 1985-0285B | Students expand envelope of AGM-65 Maverick missile Students test crash avoidance system Test Pilot School renovated, school temporarily located in Hangar 1870 VISTA joins TPS fleet at EDW | [56] [57] [58] |
| 35 | George Ka'iliwai III | O-06Col. | 2001-01Jan 2001 | 2003-06Jun 2003 | 1984-0284B | First flight test engineer and non-rated TPS Commandant First TPS sponsorship of AFIT doctoral program | [59] [60] [61] [62] |
| 36 | Ernie H. Haendschke | O-06Col. | 2003-06Jun 2003 | 2005-07Jul 2005 | 1987-0287B | 2003—Aerospace Vehicle Test Course introduced Nov 18, 2003—TPS receives Richard G. Cross Award from ITEA June 15, 2004—Pete Knight classroom dedicated | [63] [64] [65] [66] [67] [68] |
| 37 | Andre A. Gerner | O-06Col. | 2005-07Jul 2005 | 2007-07Jul 2007 | 1991-0191A | 06B—First husband and wife team graduates Process begins to make TPS a Master of Science Program | [69] [70] [71] |
| 38 | Mike Luallen | O-06Col. | 2007-07Jul 2007 | 2010-07Jul 2010 | 1992-0292B | 07B—First class to receive Master of Science in Flight Test Curriculum expanded to include unmanned aerial systems March 19, 2010—Mark Graziano classroom dedicated | [69] [71] [72] [73] [74] |
| 39 | Noel Zamot | O-06Col. | 2010-07Jul 2010 | 2012-06Jun 2012 | 1993-0293B | 2011—First Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) test pilot 2012—Flight test course for enlisted personnel 2012—Cyber Systems Test Course introduced | [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] |
| 40 | Paul Meyer | O-06Col. | 2012-06Jun 2012 | 2012-08Aug 2012 | n/a | First commandant from the Air Force Reserves First non-TPS graduate to serve as commandant since Buzz Aldrin | [81] [82] |
| 41 | Lars Hoffman | O-06Col. | 2012-08Aug 2012 | 2012-08Jul 2014 | 1997-0297A | Classroom renovations Modernized Systems curriculum | [81] [83] [84] |
| 42 | Charles Webb | O-06Col. | 2012-08Jul 2014 | 2017-07Jul 2017 | 2003-01TBS | Air Force Flight Test Museum used as classroom | [85] [86] |
| 43 | Matthew Higer | O-06Col. | 2017-07Jul 2017 | 2018-07Jul 2018 | 2003-0103A | TPS receives AF Organizational Excellence Award | [87] [88] [89] |
| 44 | Ryan Blake | O-06Col. | 2018-07Jul 2018 | 2020-07Jul 2020 | 2008-0108A | TPS 75th Anniversary New curriculum dedicated to space hardware | [90] [91] [92] |
| 45 | Sebrina Pabon | O-06Col. | 2020-07Jul 2020 | 2023-09Jul 2023 | 2006-0106A | First female, flight test engineer commandant Oct 1, 2020—Multi-Domain Test Force activation TPS collaborates with Republic of Korea Air Force Feb 23, 2023—Space Test Course (STC) established | [93] [94] [95] [96] |
| 46 | James Valpiani | O-06Col. | Jul 2023 | 2024-01Present | EPNER Class 2014 | TPS conducts world's first AI-controlled dogfights--X-62A vs F-16 TPS is a Collier Trophy Finalist Secretary of the Air Force flies with TPS in the X-62A TPS's first control of a satellite, in the STC Modernization per 2024 Strategic Plan--emphasis on Data-Driven Test AI-based mission systems upgrade for X-62 A-29s added to fleet--first new aircraft in 30 years First ever fully-integrated, year-long Flight & Space Test Course, nicknamed "The Malhalanobians", graduates | [97] [98] [99] [100] [101] [102] [6] [103] [104] [105][106] |

## Notable alumni

USAF TPS has produced many notable alumni including astronauts, record-setting aviators, and senior Air Force leaders.