Leonardo announced that test pilot Dan Wells has been named Fellow by The Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP), an honor that recognizes Wells’ more than three decades of piloting and 7,200 flight hours.  The award was announced on Saturday, September 29 at SETP’s 62nd Annual Symposium & Banquet in Anaheim, California.

An international organization that seeks to promote air safety, The Society of Experimental Test Pilots also contributes to aeronautical advancement by promoting sound design and development, assisting in the professional development of experimental pilots, and providing scholarships and aid to members and the families of deceased members.

Less than 10% of SETP’s members are Fellows, the most prestigious rank offered by the organization.  Selection typically means the member has not only made test piloting their career but has also achieved distinction amongst their peers.

Wells started his Army career in 1982 flying AH-1 Cobras and OV-1D Mohawks. A Navy Test Pilot School graduate, he served in Army flight test until 1998, later joining Army Special Ops in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

Retiring from the Army after 26 years of service in 2008, Wells went to work for Boeing flying the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program, the MH-47G Chinook and the X-48 research aircraft. He joined the AW-609 TiltRotor program in 2011, which he continues flying today.