RDT&E Acft Flt Hours

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Aircraft Flight Hours: This non-acquisition project supports direct flight hour costs, which include aviation fuel and a portion of the costs of Aviation Depot Level Repairables (AVDLR) associated with NAVAIR test pilot proficiency flights, including organizational and intermediate maintenance, associated consumables, including petroleum, oil, lubricants, and spare and replacement parts for components that fail. Annual test pilot flight hours, as delineated in OPNAVINST 3710.7, are satisfied through a combination of program funded test flights, which vary year to year based on program schedules; flights funded through this project unit ensure a baseline level of pilot readiness. These flight hours ensure test pilots remain proficient in assigned type / model / series aircraft in which they are qualified (approximately 3 hours per month) during lulls in program test schedules to ensure proficient test pilots are available to safely support aviation program testing. Readiness hours are designed to provide aircrew with a minimum of 11 flight hours per month, for a total of 133 hours annually. Flight hours support ferry flights to Fleet Readiness Centers for planned depot maintenance, post maintenance, acceptance test flights, aircrew training and test pilot proficiency when test program demand is low, in direct support of Research and Development Programs at Naval Air Systems Command, and Office of Naval Research flight activities. JUSTIFICATION FOR BUDGET ACTIVITY: This program is funded under RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST and EVALUATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT because it supports efforts directed toward maintaining test pilot readiness in direct support of general research, development, test and evaluation.