Team Members

Adam T. Lowes

Adam Lowes has 17 years of flight test experience with the Canadian Forces and has recently retired from the Royal Canadian Air Force after 26 years of service. A 2004 graduate from the United States Test Pilot School and a proponent of life-long-learning, he holds a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a Graduate Diploma in Business. Adam has had the privilege of flying the venerable Sea King for eight years which included operational deployments spanning the globe. Adam was instrumental in the testing and conversion of the Sea King to ANVIS compatible lighting and during the past 17 years, he has conducted extensive evaluations on IR countermeasures and door guns including the Dillon M134, GAU-21 (M3M), and C-6 GPMG. He has also evaluated multiple EO/IR sensors and Helmet Mounted Displays. During his last four years in the Canadian Forces, Adam worked exclusively in developmental flight test on the CH148 Cyclone helicopter which included: performance, Handling Qualities, Fly-By-Wire/Flight Director mission mode development (Sonar Cable Angle Hold and Crew Hover), icing and avionics. He was the lead Canadian Forces test pilot for Shipboard Helicopter Operating Limits which culminated in five months at sea establishing the day, night and aided envelopes of the CH148 for the Halifax Class Frigate.

Constantin Stan

Constantin STAN has over twenty years FTE/Test Pilot experience in flight test and certification (Military, Part 23 & 25). He is a former Romanian Air Force (RoAF) fighter pilot with experience on Mig-23 and MiG-29 fighters. He is a graduate of the Polytechnic University in Bucharest with a degree in Aerospace Engineering (Structures). Whilst in the RoAF Constantin was employed at the Romanian Armaments Test Center, participating in development, planning and test execution of indigenous air-delivered weapons (bombs, missiles and aerial targets). He consulted on the MiG-21 Lancer upgrade program. Constantin was employed as Sr. Flight Test Engineering Specialist with MITSUBISHI REGIONAL JET where he participated in certification flight tests of the MRJ for JCAB and FAA. Previously Constantin was employed at BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE participating in the flight testing of the CSeries 100/300 as Sr. FTE Specialist during certification flights with Transport Canada and FAA. His Part 23 certification experience was gained at DIAMOND AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES where he was employed as an Engineering Test Pilot/FTE during development of the D-Jet, five seats single engine (FJ-33) VLJ and undertook Flutter (MMO and VMO) flight testing, Performance & Flight Characteristics; Systems testing as well as DA-42L (multiengine), Lycoming STC flight tests including Flutter (VD), Performance & Flight Characteristics as well as Certification flights with TC and FAA. Other projects included the DA-40F, Spin certification (EASA) and DA 20 ASPEN and GARMIN Glass cockpit, testing and Certification (TC). Stan has flown over 2800 hours of which over 900 have been in experimental flight tests and holds Canadian and FAA ATPL licenses. He is a Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

Dr. Panos Vitsas

Dr Panos Vitsas has been involved in aerospace engineering research and academia for more than 15 years. He has a MEng in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics from University of Patras, an MSc in Human Factors and Safety Assessment in Aeronautics from Cranfield University with honoring awards, a PhD in Computational Aerodynamics from University of Patras and he is an ITPS FTE graduate of the FW flight test diploma course (Class 2012A).

Dr Vitsas has served as an A-7 Corsair engineer in the Hellenic Air Force and has participated as a researcher in European aerospace projects on aerodynamics. He has been a lecturer in aerodynamics and aircraft design and has provided freelance engineering services on UAV design, computational aerodynamics, and flight testing.

Since 2013 he works for International Test Pilots School as an FTE instructor on fixed-wing aircraft performance, flying qualities, digital FCS and pre-TPS academics and has participated in the flight testing of all ITPS acquired aircraft. He is the developer of the ITPS Engineering flight simulator, Helicopter simulator, and UAS GCS simulator. In addition to instruction he conducts research and has published over 15 papers in international journals and conferences including SFTE and SETP symposia.

Dr Vitsas holds a Transport Canada CPL with ME/IR for landplanes and seaplanes and a frozen EASA ATPL(A) having flown on the controls of more than 20 aircraft types. He is an Associate Fellow of AIAA and a member of the Flight Test Technical Committee. He is also a Senior Member of the Society of Flight Test Engineers and currently the European Chapter Vice President.

Geoff Connolly

Geoff Connolly was an operational helicopter pilot in the Royal Air Force before becoming a flying instructor and then eventually going to the Empire Test Pilots School, graduating as a test pilot in 1986.Following several years as a military test pilot, Geoff joined an international helicopter company, working initially as an airplane and helicopter instructor teaching student commercial pilots. He then returned to an active test flying role, progressing to become the company’s Head of Flight Test. Geoff has more than 10,000 hours flying experience gained on over 60 types of helicopters and airplanes. He holds UK professional pilot’s licenses and training qualifications for helicopters and light aircraft. He is a CAA authorized Flight Examiner and Type Rating Examiner for Helicopters and an authorized Ground Examiner for the Private Pilot’s License (Helicopters). He is accredited to the UK CAA and MoD as a test pilot in connection with UK civil and military certification. These qualifications are also acceptable to non-UK authorities. Geoff is a ‘Pre-Selected’ expert advisor to the European Aviation Safety Agency, for matters relating to Certification, Airworthiness, Test Flying, Flight Operations and Training. Geoff is an elected Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Member of the British Association of Aviation Consultants, and an Upper Freeman of the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators. Geoff previously served as a member of the UK Flight Safety Committee and of the UK Airprox. Board. He continues to serve on several committees, including the BHA/CAA On-Shore Liaison Committee and the BHA/CAA Small Helicopter Safety Group.