R 161948Z JAN 25 MARADMIN 020/25 MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM// SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2026-01 (FY26-01) TEST PILOT SCHOOL (TPS)  SELECTION PANEL ANNOUNCEMENT// REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20190530// REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20210510// NARR/REF A IS MCO 1542.3E, UNITED STATES NAVY/UNITED STATES AIR FORCE TEST PILOT SCHOOLS.  REF B IS MCO 1300.8 CH 1, MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY.// POC/J. KENNEDY/LTCOL/EXECUTIVE OFFICER/MARINE AVIATION DETACHMENT  (MAD) PATUXENT RIVER/ TEL: (301) 342-1421, DSN: 342-1421/ EMAIL: [email protected]// GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  The FY26-01 TPS Selection Panel will convene on or about 27 February 2025. 1.a. Major timeline milestones are: Date                        Milestone                    Note Release of this message     TPS questionnaire open         1  17 February 2025            Completed questionnaire due    2 27 February 2025            FY 26-01 TPS Panel convenes Note 1:  Refer to paragraph 10 of this message for additional  details regarding questionnaire completion. Note 2:  Applicants must complete the questionnaire by 2359 EST on 13 February 2025. 2.  The FY26-01 TPS Selection Panel will consider applicants for assignment to United States Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) Class  169, convening January 2026.  The panel will consider the best and  most fully qualified aviators for primary and alternate selection.  3.  Aviators from unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and fixed-wing  MOSs are highly encouraged to apply.  One (1) prospective test pilot will be selected and should expect to test unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) on the UX-24 test team.  MOSs by order of desired background  are: 7318, 7315, TACAIR pilots/naval flight officers (NFO), all  other fixed wing aviators.  4.  If the selectee is not MQ-9 qualified, they will complete an  approximate two-month UAS qualification course after TPS.  5.  Eligibility 5.a.  Eligibility criteria 5.a.1.  Active component commissioned officers on active duty. 5.a.2.  Regular commissioned officers in the rank of First Lieutenant and above. 5.a.3.  Designated Naval Aviators or Naval Flight Officers. 5.a.4.  Fixed-wing pilots who have a minimum of 750 military flight hours by 31 January 2026. 5.a.5.  UAS officers who have a minimum of 500 UAS flight hours by  31 January 2026. 5.a.6.  Must have successfully completed college physics or  mechanics and college level mathematics through calculus.  Although  not a requirement, a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering,  physical science, computer science, or mathematics fields is highly desirable. 5.a.7.  Must meet anthropometric requirements for TPS syllabus  aircraft.  Applicants that fall outside the below requirements may  contact the Marine Aviation Detachment for additional guidance. 5.a.7.a.  Weight:  103-245 lbs. 5.a.7.b.  Sitting height:  32.0" through 40.9". 5.a.7.c.  Buttock-knee length:  21.0" through 27.4". 5.a.8.  All Captain candidates shall be Professional Military Education (PME) complete for grade by 31 January 2026. 5.a.9.  Security clearance:  All selected officers must have at least a Secret clearance that will not expire during the next four fiscal years, and must be eligible and apply for a Top Secret- Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS-SCI). 5.a.10.  Must meet the time on station requirements described in paragraph (6). 5.b.  Ineligibility criteria 5.b.1.  Reserve component commissioned officers. 5.b.2.  Officers in the above-zone for promotion. 5.b.3.  Officers serving in a joint billet that have not met their minimum time on station requirements by 1 July 2025. 5.b.4.  Officers pending any medical or legal action that would preclude successful completion of the period of instruction and  subsequent tour of duty. 5.b.5.  Officers who have not completed their Commandants Career- Level Education Board (CCLEB) utilization tour by 1 July 2025. 6.  Time on station requirements: 6.a.  Applicants must meet the minimum 24-months time-on-station  requirement for continental United States (CONUS) assignment or be  able to complete their tour control factor for outside the  continental United States (OCONUS) assignments.  If an applicant  does not meet time-on-station requirements, they must submit a  command-endorsed waiver, via NAVMC 10274 (AA-Form), with the  application.  Transfer inside of the normal 24-months permanent  change of station time-on-station obligation will result in a gap  for that command until the 24-month period has concluded.  If an  officer is selected prior to his/her normal rotation date, Manpower Management Officer Assignments Branch will attempt to provide a  backfill.  A commander's endorsement of the applicant’s letter of  intent is considered acknowledgement of this situation.   6.b.  Those officers in a joint billet must meet their minimum time -on-station requirements by 1 July 2025. 6.c.  Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTIs) must serve a minimum of 18-months in their unit upon successful completion of WTI Course  prior to executing a permanent change of station or permanent change of assignment.  This requirement does not preclude WTIs from  applying to TPS, and orders can be adjusted on a case-by-case basis to ensure this prerequisite is satisfied. 7.  Because of extensive pre-arrival training associated with this  curriculum, prospective test pilots should expect to report for duty  prior to the class convening date listed in paragraph (2) IAW the  below approximate timelines: T/M/S                   Months Prior to Convening Date UAS Officers            2 NFOs                    2 Fixed Wing Pilots       5  8.  Officers should plan to report with a current Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) and instrument check in their primary T/M/S. 9.  Eligibility Waivers.  If a waiver is required for section (5.a) requirements, it shall be annotated on the online questionnaire  mentioned in paragraph (10.a).  All waivers will be processed during the selection panel.  The requirement for a waiver should not be  considered a disqualifier for favorable endorsements by the chain of command. 10.  Application Requirements 10.a.  Complete the entire online questionnaire by navigating  to: https://forms.osi.apps.mil/r/B30nmjt24H 10.a.1. Applicant shall disclose if they were subject to a Field Flight Performance Board and the results of the board. 10.a.2.  Applicant shall include a scanned "Letter of Intent" to  apply for TPS endorsed through the first colonel (or O-6 equivalent)  in standard letter format.  A letter of intent template is provided  via the questionnaire. 10.a.3.  Command endorsements should specifically address the flying abilities and aviation leadership qualities of the applicant. In cases where the endorsing officer has no firsthand knowledge of the applicant's flying ability, a letter of recommendation shall be included from one or more officers who have supervised the applicant in an operational flying billet within the past three years.  10.a.4.  In the event an officer submits an application and is subsequently transferred, endorsements from the gaining command shall also be forwarded. 10.b.  Digital copies of the following documents shall be submitted in a single PDF document, in the following order, to MMOA-3 via  [email protected]. 10.b.1.  Letter of intent (refer to paragraph 10.a.2) and all endorsements. 10.b.2.  Email correspondence from PMOS monitor confirming applicant's eligibility. 10.b.3.  1-page applicant military biography without photograph.   Biography should summarize military school experience, operational, flight and leadership experience, as well as other noteworthy personal experiences that would be of interest to the selection board. 10.b.4.  Legible copies of official college transcript(s).  There is no requirement to have official copies sent directly to the selection board from the educational institutions. Transcript(s) shall show type of degree conferred and date conferred.  Do not submit copies of diplomas. 10.b.5.  Letters of recommendation (optional, maximum of three). 10.b.6.  As required, legible copies of Field Flight Performance Board material and/or any other legal matters. 10.b.7.  All digital documents shall be combined into a single PDF document and saved as "EDIPI_LastName_TPS169" and emailed to [email protected]. 10.b.8.  OMPF update material.  Officers should submit OMPF update  requests via OMPF-Records Management Application (O-RMA). If  assistance is required, contact your unit S-1 or local IPAC.  Officers are responsible for ensuring their OMPF and Master Brief Sheet is accurate at all times.  Panel members will have access to the OMPF during the panel.    11.  Application procedures 11.a.  The application deadline is 2359 Eastern Standard Time on 17 February 2025. 12.  Prospective applicants should contact the MAD Patuxent River  Executive Officer using point of contact information at the  beginning of the MARADMIN if assistance is needed during the  application preparation process. 13.  All applicants shall submit a complete application package. Information contained in previous applications is not retained after the selection panel. 14.  Points of contact: Fixed Wing Majors Monitor    Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Simmermon    Comm:  (703) 784-9267    Email:  [email protected] Fixed Wing Company Grade Monitor    Captain Maverick Santamaria    Comm:  (703) 784-9267    Email:  [email protected] Rotary Wing Majors Monitor    Major Brandon Thompson    Comm:  (703) 784-9267    Email:  [email protected] Rotary Wing Company Grade Monitor    Major Anthony Emberger    Comm:  (703) 784-9268    Email:  [email protected] 15.  Release authorized by MajGen Ryan S. Rideout, Director, Manpower Management Division.//