Student Flight Test Engineer

Position: Student Flight Test Engineer

Closing date: 28 February 2025, 17:00

INTRODUCTION

Background

Incomar is a leading-edge aerospace and defence group, with its primary focus on providing specialist support and solutions to our customers.

The group was established in South Africa during 1999, with its origins in the integration and flight testing of airborne weapons and avionics. Incomar has since evolved this capability to include core engineering, product development and flight operations capabilities.

Incomar is AS9100D accredited for Design & Development and Flight Testing.

1Flight Testing at Incomar

Incomar is a leading flight test organisation with more than 30 years’ experience and enjoys the respect of the flight test fraternity both domestically and internationally. With an AS9100D quality assurance system and a safety management system in place, it prides itself on the safe and efficient execution of all categories of flight test including:

•  First flight/envelope expansion
•  High risk static/dynamic (flutter) structural loads
•  Weapons/store carriage and separation
•  Handling qualities
•  Performance
•  Systems
•  Certification

The Incomar Flight Test facility is based at Wonderboom National Airport in Pretoria, South Africa however, the team conduct flight tests at numerous locations both domestically and internationally. 

Flight Test Course

To meet the demands of its projects, Incomar embarked on an inhouse Flight Test training course in 2018 and is currently running its third course with a planned completion date in 2025.

The professional course is presented in modules consisting of:

• Flight testing fundamentals
• Aircraft performance
• Flying qualities
• Aircraft Systems

Classroom style lectures given by Incomar professional flight test engineers and test pilots, are complemented by practical flying on a variety of different aircraft types including simulators, as well as course visits and specialist lectures. The course is designed to equip the graduate with the skills required to work in a flight test team, to take a newly designed aircraft from the drawing board, through first flight up to certification.  Students will complete the course over a 14-month period (subject to changes due to aircraft scheduling) with the majority of the course taking place at the Incomar flight test facility.

All students will be full time employees of Incomar and will be part of the Flight Test team throughout the course. On graduation they shall continue to work under experienced flight test pilots or flight test engineers, to gain experience in this specialised field.

FLIGHT TEST COURSE CANDIDATE SELECTION

Incomar is proud to announce that the fourth Flight Test graduate course will commence in January 2026 and is actively seeking multiple highly motivated and self-driven candidates for this course. Flight testing is a demanding occupation that requires the ability to recall knowledge, make use of the team around you, adapt and problem solve in limited time. The ideal candidate must therefore be able to function as an individual as well as in a team and recognise timeously when a decision may not have been the best option and re-adapt accordingly.

Application Criteria

Minimum Requirements

• B.Sc Eng/B.Eng (Mechanical, Aeronautical or related field)
• Ability to obtain a Class II Aviation Medical 
• English Proficiency (spoken and written)
• South African citizenship

Preferred Attributes

• Engineering work experience
• Aviation experience
• Experience in MATLAB/programming
• Experience in testing
• PPL/RPC

If you do not meet all the attributes but feel you have the passion to fill this role and are excited to join us, please do not hesitate to apply as we would like to hear from you.

Application Process

Applicants should apply via BambooHR: https://aryacor.bamboohr.com/careers, and include the following with their application:

• Two-page Curriculum Vitae
• Completed application form (via BambooHR website)
• University academic record
• Copy of ID document or residence visa

Selection Process:

The following selection process will be applied:

• The Flight Test Course Selection Board will select suitable candidates for interviews. 
• Up to six applicants will be chosen to conduct Class II medicals and psychometric assessments (paid for and arranged by Incomar). *
• Two applicants will be chosen by the Flight Test Course Selection Board.
• Student Flight Test Engineers will be employed full time from 1 June 2025 where they will shadow various team members in the Flight Operations department for exposure to the Flight Test field, until the start of their course.
• Flight Test Course 4 will commence in January 2026.             

*Short-listed candidates will be required to sign a consent form (in accordance with the POPI Act) for the medical and psychometric reports to be used by the selection board for the final selection of candidates for Flight Test Course 4.

Candidates selected for Flight Test Course 2026 will be required to sign a training contract that will commit them to remain in the employment of Incomar for a minimum period of 6 years from commencement of employment.