NAWCAD Premieres Pax River Documentary

More than 200 people gathered at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum in August to honor nearly a century of innovation in naval aviation.

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division premiered the documentary, “Flight Tested: The Story of Pax River,” showing how the test pilots, engineers, and innovators of Pax River shaped the Navy yesterday and today.

Watch the full version of the documentary here.

In 1911, LT Theodore “Spuds” Ellyson became the first designated naval aviator, as well as the first Navy test pilot. The documentary traces the legacy that began with LT Ellyson’s groundbreaking flight training and continues today at NAS Patuxent River.

As the Navy’s premier flight test and evaluation center, Pax River carries forward more than a century of innovation, where aviators, engineers, and maintainers work together to ensure the safety, capability, and superiority of the fleet.

Through archival footage, personal stories, and rarely seen imagery, the film honors the generations who have advanced naval aviation from its earliest days to the cutting-edge systems of today.

The film was written, directed, and produced by Andrea Templeton.