Capt. Randy Neville is chief pilot for ZA002, the second 787 to enter the flight test program.
Prior to joining the 787 Program in 2005, Neville was an F-22 Raptor test pilot for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems for nine years. Assigned to the F-22 Combined Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base, Neville flew the F-22 as well as the F-16 chase aircraft.
Neville was the primary pilot responsible for expanding the Raptor’s flight envelope or maneuverability capabilities, and became the first Raptor pilot to reach the 500-hour mark in 2004. With more than 600 hours in the F-22 aircraft, he is still a high-time Raptor pilot. Neville was also a technical advisor in the making of the movie “The Hulk” and played a role as an F-22 fighter pilot in the movie.
Prior to joining Boeing, Neville flew for 20 years in the United States Air Force (USAF), having operational tours in the F-106 and F-16. He attended the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base and spent the next ten years as a USAF test pilot. Neville conducted weapons development tests on the F-4 and F-16 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. His final assignment before retiring from the USAF was as a T-38 and F-16 instructor and director of Flight Operations for the USAF Test Pilot School.
Neville earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee in 1975 and a master’s degree in international relations from Troy State University in 1989.
Neville holds type ratings in all current Boeing production models. He also has a glider license and more than 6,000 hours flying time in 75 different types of aircraft. He is an Associate Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP). In 2005 he was awarded the prestigious Iven Kinchloe Award by SETP for outstanding professionalism while conducting flight tests.