Raymond H. Foster

The following article appeared in the July-December issue of COCKPIT, a quarterly publication of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots

CDR Raymond H. Foster, USN (Ret) (M) passed away on 31 October 2009. He was 81. CDR Foster was born on 18 July 1928 in Delta, Colorado. He entered the U.S. Navy in 1948 and later graduated from the USNTPS. He also received a B.S. in Finance from the University of Colorado in 1954.

He served as a Project Test Pilot at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland from 1960-1963 and was involved with the F3H-1, F4D-1, F8U-2, F106-B, F-8D/E and F4A. In 1964 he served as Ordnance Officer aboard the F. D. Roosevelt. He attended the Naval War College in 1966 and then returned to RDT&E flying as Executive Officer of Air Development Squadron Four (VX-4), performing test of the F4B and F4G. He assumed command of Advanced Training Squadron Twenty Four in February 1969 after an abbreviated tour with the Sixth Fleet Staff. In 1970 he was transferred from Commanding Officer, VT-24 to served as Jet Training Officer for the Advanced Training Command. CDR Foster transferred to the NORAD staff at Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1971 and retired from the Navy in 1976. He had been a member of the Society since 1963.

On Golden Wings