Summary
He is an aircraft modification, manufacturing, and maintenance veteran with over 48 years’ experience as a corporate executive, FAA aircraft certification manager, aeronautical engineer, and consultant. For 25 years, was an executive in the MRO industry. This included serving as the President of Goodrich Aviation Technical Services, a major transport airplane maintenance, manufacturing, and modification business. For 15 years, he worked with the Federal Aviation Administration as an aviation safety executive and engineer, including serving as Manager of the Seattle Aircraft Certification Office. For the past 6 years, he was the CEO for a Boeing subsidiary company that designs and produces wing aerodynamic performance improvement modifications for Boeing airplanes. He is also an aviation consultant and advisor to airlines, aviation MROs, manufacturers, law firms, financial institutions, historical foundations and special purpose aircraft operators.
Academic Background
• Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Engineering; St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO 1970
• Master, Technical Management, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 1980
• FAA Executive Development Program, 1979 - 1982
• FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic License, 1970
• FAA Inspection Authorization Rating, 1975-1981
Professional Experience
• RTI Group, LLC, Annapolis, MD,
Sr. Aeronautical Engineer / Transport Aircraft Certification Specialist, 2018 to present.
• Boeing subsidiary company
CEO, 2011 – 2018
Led company that designed, produced and installed winglets and aircraft performance improvement modifications for retrofit on Boeing airplanes. Successfully retrofitted winglets on Boeing airplanes of 273 airlines worldwide and produced and delivered winglets to be installed on the Boeing production line.
Independent Aviation Consultant, 2008 – 2012, 2018
Provide technical and advisory support to airlines, maintenance repair and overhaul companies, aircraft component manufacturers and aircraft modification companies. Primary services include FAA repair station and air carrier certification, maintenance error management, aircraft maintenance and modification processes, FAA airworthiness and type certification, human factors and process improvement.
• Goodrich Aviation Technical Services, Seattle, WA,
President, 2005 – 2009, VP Operations, 1996 – 2005
President and Corporate Officer for the company’s $200M, 1500 employee transport airplane heavy maintenance, modification and manufacturing business, which at the time was the largest of its kind in North America. I simultaneously served as the company Flight Safety officer and developed a comprehensive error management program focused on newly emerging human factors concepts. I directed all technical responsibilities including heavy maintenance, engineering, quality assurance, airline maintenance inspection, FAA type certification, aircraft modification design, and production inspection systems for aircraft, and parts manufacturing. Administrative oversight included finance and accounting, materiel, human resources, information technology, and occupational safety. Under my direction, numerous major maintenance and modification programs have been successfully accomplished on Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and AIRBUS airplanes including hush kits, avionics, major interior reconfigurations, and various heavy maintenance programs. Major airline customers include FedEx, UPS, Southwest, United, Alaska, Northwest, Hawaiian and Alaska. I also held VP Operations and Engineering positions during my tenure.
• Elsinore Aerospace Services, Inc., Newport Beach, CA,
General Manager/ Senior Vice President 1994 – 1996
Primary duties included those of Corporate Officer, including P&L and business development, for a $25M aviation services business specializing in engineering, FAA certification, field modifications, and part manufacturing in support of transport airplane maintenance and modification programs. Responsibilities included: R&D, modification design, FAA coordination, quality assurance, prototype development, production modifications, transport airplane maintenance, and modification accomplishment, aircraft parts manufacturing and PMA. Company staffing included engineers, DER’s, QC/QA inspectors, Designated Alteration Station staff, FAA Repair Station technicians, procurement, maintenance and administrative employees. Accomplishments included A-300 passenger to freighter conversion design and FAA certification under contract to Daimler Benz Aerospace; the first interactive “video on demand” passenger entertainment system installation design and certification; and numerous STC and PMA production programs.
• Lucas Aerospace, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (acquired by Goodrich) General Manager 1989 – 1994
General management duties included profit and loss responsibility for a $50M business focused on heavy maintenance; the design and FAA type certification of major modifications to transport airplanes; and aerospace parts manufacturing. I directed all Technical functions including heavy maintenance, engineering, quality assurance, airline maintenance inspection, FAA type certification, aircraft modification design, and production inspection systems for aircraft, and parts manufacturing. Administrative oversight included finance and accounting, materiel, human resources and occupational safety. Facility staffing included 1400 engineers, inspectors, Repair Station maintenance technicians, managers and administrative employees. Under my direction, numerous major maintenance and modification programs were successfully accomplished on Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and Lockheed airplanes including hush kits, major interior reconfigurations, B-747 section 41 mods, and various heavy maintenance programs. Major airline customers include FedEx, United, Northwest, and Hawaiian. I also held VP Operations and Engineering positions during my tenure.
• Federal Aviation Administration, Seattle, WA,
Manager, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office 1985 – 1989
Senior FAA management responsibility for safety, airworthiness, certification and application of Federal Aviation Regulations for transport airplanes. Directed all FAA type certification activity for Boeing, Airbus and other foreign transport airplanes prior to commercial operation in the United States. As ACO Manager I directed l00 employees comprised of engineers, test pilots, and inspectors, administrative and clerical personnel. Under my direction, the Boeing 747-400, 737-400, 767-300, and derivatives of the 757 were successfully analyzed, tested, and FAA approved. Additional responsibilities included participation in accident and safety investigation teams, approval and issuance of airworthiness directives (AD’s) and the development of initial maintenance programs for new airplanes.
Other Positions Held
• FAA Manager Foreign Certification Transport Airplane Directorate, 1980 to 1985
Held international authority for transport airplane design evaluation, safety certification
AD issuance and initial maintenance programs. Managed Directorate oversight in the
Type Certification of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80, KC-10, DC-8-70, G-IV, C-650
series A-320 and A-310 airplanes. (Seattle, WA Long Beach, CA)
• FAA Project Engineer, 1975 to 1980
Responsible for compliance determinations and analysis leading to FAA Type
Certification of General Electric and Allison gas turbine aircraft engines. Managed the
Type Certification of GE CF6-50 and -80, and CFM-56 series engines. (Chicago, IL)
• Systems Engineer and Contracting Officer’s Representative, 1970 to 1975
Department of Defense aircraft research and development activity. (US Army Aviation
Systems Command, St. Louis, MO)
Professional Development
• Goodrich Corporate Safety and Risk Management Board Member
• O&M Award for Outstanding Achievement in Aviation MRO
• Aviation Week and Space Technology Award for “Innovation in Aviation Safety”
• Lean Manufacturing “Practitioner” rating
• FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Sub-Committee (ARAC) on ODA
• Panel Member, FAA International Safety Forum
• SAE Technical Paper, “Error Management in a 3rd Party Repair Station”
• FAA Technical Paper, “Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance”
• Presentation to NTSB Board members and staff on “Aviation Maintenance Safety”
• Member, Air Transportation Association (ATA) Working Group on Aviation Human Factors
• FAA accident investigation performance award
• FAA Executive Development program graduate
• Private Pilot
