Norman Macmillan and Staniland were central to Fairey's development because test pilots helped shape aircraft before production. The chief draftsman turned the design into calculations and drawings that had to work in theory. The test pilot needed engineering knowledge and precise communication to explain what went right or wrong in the air and why. The chief designer balanced those reports against the customer's operational requirements and decided which compromises the aircraft could accept.
Notable Point · 7:46-10:18
How designers, draftsmen, and test pilots shaped aircraft
Fairey's test pilots illustrate the three-way relationship among chief designer, chief draftsman, and chief test pilot.