This expert is internationally-known on the subject of runway friction measurement and analysis. Included in his 43 year NASA career, he served as NASA’s Program Manager of Joint NASA/Transport Canada/FAA Winter Runway Friction Measurement Program aimed at harmonizing ground vehicle friction measurements under adverse weather conditions and identifying most acceptable and reliable relationships to aircraft stopping performance under similar runway conditions.
He has directed hundreds of aircraft braking performance test runs on different contaminated runways and conducted thousands of tire/pavement braking, steering, and free rolling test runs at NASA Langley’s Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility.
While at NASA, he supported aircraft accident investigations for National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), U. S. Navy and Air Force, NASA, Portuguese Investigation Authority, Swiss Federal Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, and the Canadian Aviation Safety Board. He has consulted on over 40 aircraft accidents and several highway vehicle skidding accidents where loss of tire friction was a suspected contributing cause.
Academic Background
Bachelor of Engineering Science, University of Portland, Portland, OR, 1963
Professional Experience
- RTI Group, LLC, Airport Runway Engineer, 2012 to present
- Self Employed 2007 to present
- NASA Distinguished Research Associate, effective 2008
- Grumman Aerospace, Bethpage New York, 1973 – 1974 NASA Exchange Program with the Grumman Corporation (now Northrop Grumman)
- NASA Langley’s Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility, 1964 – 1967
- NASA Langley Research Center, Structural Dynamics Branch, 1963 – 2007
- Bureau of Public Roads in Northwest, Road Surveyor, 1960 – 1962
Other Professional Experience
- Helped facilitate arrangements to continue annual tire friction workshop at the Larson Transportation Institute, Penn State University, State College, PA starting in June 2009.
- Swales Aerospace (NASA Langley contractor) 2007
- USAF, Army and NASA C-17 Semi Prepared Runway Operations (SPRO) II Program
- Provided consulting services for the Canadian Department of Justice concerning a fatal transport aircraft accident
- Helped evaluate and solve Shuttle Orbiter landing gear problems including nose gear stability, friction and load bearing characteristics of various non-rigid (soil) runway landing sites
- International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Runway Study Group, Member of U.S. Delegation
Professional Affiliations
- Member of ASTM Committees E17 on Vehicle-Pavement Interface
- ASTM Committee F09 on Tires
- SAE A5 Landing Gear Committee
- AIAA, AAAE R & D Committee, Member Emeritus of Transportation Research Board
- AFD90 Committee and Member of International Friction Pavement Association