SFTE Constitutional Amendment - Initial Brief to Chapter Officers and Committee Members

2026-06-13
10:00:00 - 11:00:00 Central

The SFTE Board of Directors invites you to an early consultation session regarding proposed changes to the SFTE Constitution on Saturday, June 13th. As chapter leaders, your input is crucial before we present a formal proposal to the wider membership.

Why Amend the Constitution?

The field of Flight Test has expanded significantly—encompassing uncrewed vehicles, new propulsion, and space systems—making the SFTE's mission to advance effectiveness, safety, and efficiency among all Flight Test Professionals more vital than ever.

In order to achieve this we have positioned ourselves as the only Flight Test specific society open to ALL Flight Test Professionals. As our missions expand and our members remain at the forefront of technology we want to ensure that we provide a home for everyone engaged in Flight Test.

The primary objective is to simplify the member grading scheme. The current requirements, dating back to the 1960s/70s, do not reflect the diversity of today's Flight Test community and can act as a barrier to early career professionals.

Key Proposed Changes

Membership Grades:

• Remove the “Affiliate Member” and “Associate Member” grades.
• Redefine the "Member" grade to encompass all Flight Testers.
• Redefine the "Student Member" grade to include High School Students and expand eligible subjects.

Organizational Updates:

• Formally recognize non-US chapters' ability to incorporate legally in their own jurisdictions.
• Add Term Limits for the Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer positions to align with all other board offices.
• Change the process for amending the Code of Ethics to remove the requirement for a society-wide vote.

For more details on the proposed changes see the overview or the full text.

Additional Feedback Requested

We also seek your feedback on a potential change to the SFTE Membership Rates in 2027 and a proposed increase to the annual Chapter Rebate to better support your local events.

Timeline for Constitutional Amendment

• June 13th: Initial Review with Chapter Officers, Tech Council, and Committee Members.
• No Later than July 6th: Initial Proposed Amendment published in full to all Members.
• July – September: Three Open Session forums held to gather feedback and proposed changes.
• October 1st: Final Text Published; At-Large Members receive the opportunity to vote electronically.
• October 26th: Formal Vote by Chapter Representatives at the Annual Business Meeting.

Setting: Live Virtual
meet.google.com/ryh-fgfw-gtg

Ben Povall

SFTE Constitutional Amendment - Initial Brief to Chapter Officers and Committee Members
Saturday, June 13 · 10:00 – 11:00am
Time zone: America/Chicago
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ryh-fgfw-gtg
Or dial: ‪(US) +1 505-738-1121‬ PIN: ‪106 849 725‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/ryh-fgfw-gtg?pin=5804968546204

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2026-06-13

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