Cockpit Jan

Transcription

Cockpit Jan

January - June 2010
January - June 2010 1
THE SOCIETY OF EXPERIMENTAL TEST PILOTS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President.................................................................................................Terry E. Tomeny, Boeing
Vice President............................................................................................... Steve Rainey, Boeing
Secretary................................................................................... David Nils Larson, NASA/DFRC
Treasurer.............................................................................................Douglas Benjamin, Boeing
Legal Officer.................................................. Troy Fontaine, Department of Homeland Security
Executive Advisor................................................... Gregory V. Lewis, National Test Pilot School
President-Elect.......................................................................William A. Flynn, Lockheed Martin
Technical Advisor...................................................................................... Tim Morey,CAPT, USN
Technical Advisor............................................................. Grady Wilson, Wilson Aero Consulting
Canadian Section Representative...................................Rob Erdos, Flight Research Laboratory
Central Section Representative.....................................................Mark O. Schlegel, Bombardier
East Coast Section Representative................................................................John Tougas, Boeing
European Section Representative............................................. Jeremy P. Tracy, AgustaWestland
Great Lakes Section Representative............................................Jay Jabour, Northrop Grumman
Northwest Section Representative.............................................................................Leon Roberts
Southeast Section Representative.................................................Gary Plumb, DCS Corporation
Southwest Section Representative............................................... Alan Norman, Lockheed Martin
West Coast Section Representative........................................Edward Cabrera, Lockheed Martin
Paula S. Smith
Executive Director
CANADIAN SECTION
Chairman....................................... Rob Erdos
CENTRAL SECTION
EAST COAST SECTION
Chairman..............................Maurice Girard
Vice Chairman........................... Dan Hinson
Secretary............................... Marc Mannella
Treasurer..................................Scott Whitley
Chairman.................................. John Tougas
Vice Chairman...............Andrew McFarland
Secretary.................................. Eric Mitchell
Treasurer.................................Mark Johnson
EUROPEAN SECTION
Chairman................................. Craig Penrice
Treasuer................................ Nat Makepeace
NORTHWEST SECTION
GREAT LAKES SECTION
Chairman.......................................Jay Jabour
Vice Chairman........................... David Glade
Secretary.............................Robbie Robinson
Treasurer...................................... Sam Ryals
SOUTHWEST SECTION
Chairman...................................Leon Robert
Vice Chairman...........................Tom Twiggs
Secretary...................................... Ed Kolano
Treasurer.............................. Loran Haworth
Chairman...................................Alan Norman
Vice Chairman........................ Robert Moreau
Secretary/Treasurer................ Jerry Singleton
SOUTHEAST SECTION
WEST COAST SECTION
Chairmang................................. Gary Plumb
Vice Chairman......................... Evan Dertien
Secretary................................... Sion Hughes
Treasurer................................ Mark Massaro
Chairman.............................Edward Cabrera
Vice Chairman..................... Stuart Rogerson
Secretary........................................ Rich Burr
Treasurer......................................Greg Wood
SETP COMMITTEES
Flight Test Safety Committee Chairman........................................................... Thomas E. Roberts
Membership Committee Chairman........................................................................ Sean C. Roberts
Fellows Coordinating Committee Chairman..............................................................Leo Janssens
Publications Committee Chairman.......................................................................... Allen Peterson
2 January - June 2010
SETP CALENDAR
54th Symposium & Banquet
22-25 September 2010
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Anaheim, CA
European Flight Test Safety Workshop
Royal Aeronautical Society
London, England
4th Southeast Section Symposium
24-25 February 2011
Ramada Plaza Beach Resort
Ft. Walton Beach, FL
41st San Diego Symposium
Flight Test Safety Workshop
25-26 March 2011
3-6 May 2011
Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa
Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front Hotel
San Diego, CA
Pensacola, FL
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Anaheim, CA
COCKPIT is published by The Society of Experimental Test Pilots
Address all correspondence to:
SETP Publications Chairman
Post Office Box 986
Lancaster, California 93584-0986
661-942-9574
Statements and opinions advanced in technical papers and letters-to-the-editor are those of
the authors and do not necessarily coincide with the tenets of The Society of Experimental
Test Pilots. Letters to-the-editor are encouraged whenever there are dissenting opinions.
Table of Contents:
President’s Memo............................................................................................................. 4
Technical Articles ............................................................................................................ 5
Symposium Information and Call for Papers..................................................................32
2010 Symposia Highlights..............................................................................................41
Scholarship Foundation News........................................................................................46
SETP Foundation News..................................................................................................47
New Members and Upgrades..........................................................................................50
Who...What...Where.......................................................................................................58
Membership News..........................................................................................................59
Editor’s Memo................................................................................................................59
Know The Corporate Member........................................................................................60
Section News..................................................................................................................62
Last Flights.....................................................................................................................64
Cover Photo
SETP Corporate Member Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation unveils thier new
G250 business Jet. The first flight was made on 11 December 2009 in Israel by IAI
Test Pilots Ronen Shapira and Zachi Morgenstern (M).
Photo Credit: ©Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
PRESIDENT’S MEMO
Greetings from historic Cambridge, England as we
prepare for another memorable European Symposium.
Although I had some serious concerns going into this year
with some very ambitious plans and the world economy
in disarray, as we head down the stretch to the Annual
Symposium just two months away, we have obviously had
another very successful year. In addition to our traditional
San Diego symposium, we’ve been able to continue with
expanded numbers of local chapter symposia with good
support, quality programs and good attendance. Local
symposia were held by the Southeast, East Coast, Central,
and Great Lakes Sections which offered opportunities for
Terry E. Tomeny(F)
many members who will not be able to attend the Annual
The Boeing Company
S&B to stay connected with the Society and stay abreast
SETP President
of what’s going on in our profession. My sincere thanks to
those chapters. Additionally, we supported two successful
Flight Test Safety Workshops in Europe and the US. Thanks also to those who made these
events happen. So event-wise, we have been able to sustain our pace of nine events per
year – seven symposia and two flight test safety workshops. Well done.
TECHNICAL ARTICLES
54th Annual S&B Outlook.
Once again we’re headed toward another outstanding symposium in Anaheim thanks to
Capt Tim “Eel” Morey and his committee. While we have received some feedback that
the numbers of people being allowed to attend this year may be reduced due to budgetary
constraints, we have budgeted for that accordingly and fully expect to have another
memorable event. We already have another outstanding slate of technical papers which
is the core of the event, but we also have one change this year that we think you will
enjoy. The Friday night reception will actually be at a private area in Disneyland instead
of California Adventure – with transportation available for those who need it. If the winds
cooperate, we can look forward to an up close and personal view of the nightly fireworks.
I hope we can again count on your support.
This being my last Cockpit and written communication to you as your President, I want
to pass on to you what an honor it has been for me to be a President of this great Society.
Although this year has had many unanticipated twists and turns for me personally, with an
unexpected change in employment, a cross country move, and the start up of yet another
major test program, support for the Society and it’s goals seemed to be everywhere – and
I’d like to personally thank a few of those who helped me through a trying year. As usual
your SETP staff under Paula’s steady hand was always there – although this year was a
bit more trying than those in the past. Past President Greg Lewis was also a huge help
whenever needed – whether it be pulling together controversial constitutional change
discussions and ballots, helping with the new Wiki site, setting up our new electronic
voting, or being there to help with another sensitive member expulsion investigation.
Thanks Greg. Your Board of Directors itself also seemed to go the extra mile this year in
researching, discussing, and voting on some very controversial and sensitive issues. When
I asked for the help, they were all there when we needed to resolve some very sensitive
issues – and I was proud of the way they were professionally handled. My thanks. I’d also
like to thank the Boeing Company not only for its continued support of the Society, but its
immediate understanding of my situation and full support of my duties as your President.
Thanks again for the opportunity to be the President of one of the finest and most prestigious
professional organizations in the world. I think we’re a very healthy organization and
headed in the right direction. I hope to see many of you personally at the Grand Californian
just two months away.
Sincerely
Terry E. Tomeny
AIRSHOW ACCIDENT/INCIDENT REVIEW
2009
Maj Gen Des Barker, SAAF (M)
A rather bizarre year in which a case of a display pilot’s integrity was brought into question
and two cases of regulatory non-compliance exposed the display circuit to uncalled for
hazards and placed the safety of spectators at risk. The case of an unlicensed Victor crew
becoming airborne during a taxy demonstration in the UK, the falsification of logbook
entries and also the unlawful carriage of passengers during a display were rather
unexpected occurrences for such an august grouping of display pilots and airshow safety
officers. Also unusual, was the relatively large amount of collateral damage caused by the
accidents to both to spectators and infrastructure.
A total of 19 accidents, involving 21
aircraft resulted in 16 pilots being killed
and 9 being injured with 5
crewmembers also perishing in an IL76 midair collision. Sadly, 1 security
staff member was killed and 13
spectators or nearby residents were
injured by aircraft debris impacts. The
loss of three SU-27 Flankers, two in a
midair collision at MAKS 2009 and one
flight-into-terrain at Radom, Poland,
raised questions about the high accident
rate of SU-27s at airshows over the last
few years.
Airshow Accidents/Incidents 2000 to 2009.
There was also no significant change is
the primary causal factors for 2009
versus the last 100 years of airshow
accidents. Flight into terrain at 47%
remained the primary causal factor,
mostly from the vertical while loss of
control at 21% followed as the second
highest contributory factor. Flight into
terrain is essentially judgement error,
either energy gate or distance
estimation while loss of control is an
indication that display pilots have
allowed the aircraft to achieve an
Causal factors 2009.
energy state leading to loss of control,
Sample size = 19 accidents.
recovery from which is impossible
given the height remaining. Five of the
accidents involved military pilots, the other fourteen, civilian pilots.
Unlike other years, as is the case every year, those that paid the ultimate sacrifice, were not
novices involved in unauthorized low flying, but highly experienced and well trained
display pilots; their only mistake, a judgement error, a stark reminder that the low level
display arena remains hazardous. The events at which most of the accidents/incidents
occurred were not necessarily small, out of the way airfields, but rather major events
organised by highly experienced and professional airshow organisers. The fact remains
that after actual combat operations, the low-level display arena remains a rather hostile
environment in which failures and judgement errors are cruelly rewarded.
Anticipating a further decrease in the number of airshow accidents following on from the
major improvement in 2008, 2009 did not match up to expectations, decreasing slightly by
one to 19 accidents/incidents; this was however, less than the ten year average of 22
accidents/incidents per annum though.
25 FEBRUARY 2009: PITTS SAMSON (SHEPPARTON, AUSTRALIA)
Friends and colleagues of Peter “Pip” Borrman remembered him as one of Australia’s most
accomplished aerobatic pilots whose personal motto was “why be ordinary when you can
be extraordinary”. He had previously flown the Edge in airshows around the country, and
in 1999 he received one of only two Ground Level Waivers ever issued in Australia. “As
the undisputed aerobatic champion of Australia, his gyroscopic manoeuvres took the
aerobatics to new heights in Australia. Borrman, 54, was killed at Shepparton Aerodrome
in Kialla while preparing a new Pitts Samson for its public debut at the upcoming Avalon
airshow, where he had performed since 1992.
He was doing a photo shoot in preparation for Avalon with one of the Melbourne
newspapers when the aircraft suffered a mechanical problem and with limited options, he
suffered an unsurvivable accident emanating from a resultant forced landing.
“Any spare time he had, it was practise, practise, practise, he was just so particular,’’ Mrs
Borrman said. Eyewitnesses said he had completed a loop above the Shepparton Airport,
just north of the runway, when his plane failed to climb again and crashed into a private
paddock and burst into flames, burning three hectares of surrounding grassland. It is
believed that the aircraft’s engine may have stopped while he was performing the vertical
stunt.
12 MARCH 2009: TUCANO T MKI (LINTON-ON-OUSE, YORKSHIRE, UK)
The RAFs 2009 Tucano display pilot,
Flt Lt Mike Rutland, ejected and was
taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in
Nottingham suffering from back injuries
and a broken wrist following an ejection
incident whilst practicing his pre-season
display sequence.
The Air Officer
Commanding 22 Group formally
cancelled the Tucano Display for the
2009 season which was obviously
disappointing for a great many people.
However, the Tucano was present on the
display circuit as a static display.
The Tucano ‘sans pilot or ejection seat’; it
An eyewitness reported that the aircraft
would appear that the ejection activation was
was recovering from a loop and with
very late with the aircraft continuing ahead in
insufficient height for recovery, the pilot
a nearly level attitude.
ejected a few milliseconds before the
aircraft
impacted
bringing
back
memories of the with the Thunderbirds soloist ejection at Mountain Home Base in 2003.
05 APRIL 2009: CURTISS WRIGHT P-40N WARHAWK (NEW YORK, USA).
It was shortly after midday that a vintage piston fighter, a Curtiss Wright P-40N,
manufactured in 1944, impacted the Atlantic Ocean just off the shore of Mastic Beach,
New York, while practicing for an upcoming air show, killing the certificated commercial
pilot Robert Baranaskas. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for
airplane single engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane, a second-class
medical certificate and reportedly had approximately 2,300 hours flying hours.
In a written statement, the pilot’s son said that he and his father were an airshow “team”
and that the purpose of the flight was to practice aerobatics, and that he would act as a
‘safety guide’ from the beach with a handheld radio. The pilot’s son stated that all
communications with the accident airplane were normal. The airplane entered a “half
Cuban-eight” manoeuvre at an estimated 250 to 260 mph and when the airplane was “in the
middle of the Cuban-eight, it entered a spin.” The pilot’s son estimated the airplane had
slowed to 100 to 120 mph, which was “too slow,” when the airplane entered the spin, and
lacked the height to recover before crashing into the sea.
In a written statement, a former Army pilot described a similar sequence of events, and
stated that he thought the pilot was attempting an “Immelman” turn and added, “I knew he
was in trouble when he didn’t complete the Immelman turn and went off on one wing. The
plane made 4 to 5 revolutions and augured into the ocean.” The witness stated that no parts
departed the airplane at anytime during the flight or accident sequence.
The pilot had been issued an FAA Certificate of Waiver or Authorization to perform
aerobatics in a “box” of defined dimensions off the coast of Mastic Beach, on April 3,
2009. In a written statement, a FAA inspector stated that the pilot failed to file a Notice to
Airman, and did not notify the controlling air traffic facility to activate the box prior to
beginning aerobatic activity, as required by the Certificate of Waiver.
03 MAY 2009; HANDLEY PAGE VICTOR: (BRUNTINGTHORPE, UNITED
KINDGOM)
A UK Civil Aviation Authority investigation into a near-disaster at Bruntingthorpe
Aerodrome’s ‘Cold War Jets Day’, surprisingly concluded without any legal action being
taken against any of the parties involved. The drama unfolded as the vintage Handley Page
Victor bomber, aptly nicknamed “Teasin’ Tina”, gave shocked spectators more than they
bargained for when it accidently got airborne during a taxying display. The two-man,
unlicensed crew, were meant only to taxi down the runway for a photo shoot. The man in
the captain’s seat, Bob Prothero, a 70-year-old retired RAF pilot, managed to set the
aircraft down safely after his “co-pilot,” the plane’s maintainer, who had no flying
experience, had supposedly set the throttles to full takeoff power.
As the vintage bomber shot towards the airshow crowd, Prothero knew he had to act... and
fast. The 75-ton Victor was only meant to have slowly taxied down the runway and stop
for a photo shoot, but his amateur co-pilot had apparently accidentally slammed open the
throttles, getting it airborne. Now it was on a collision course with the crowd and a nearby
housing estate if they tried to land.
But Prothero, 70, who last flew a Victor in the 1980s and whose flying licence had long
since expired, wrestled with the plane’s controls to steer it away from potential disaster.
He landed on one wheel and in a cloud of dust, but without a scratch - on grass at the end
of the runway. Hailed a hero after an inquiry into the near disaster he said it was “the most
terrifying nine seconds of my life”. “I was petrified”, he said. There wasn’t time to think
about anything. Everything was pure instinct on that day”.
“It all happened extremely fast. I was shouting at the co-pilot to pull the throttle back. For
some reason he never did and I saw the nose rise into the air, I thought “Oh God here we
go, how are we going to get out of this one?” “So I had to make a snap decision: Do I try
to land the plane or do I fly round in a circle and land properly”? “I thought, ‘where are we
and what can we do to rescue the situation”? “Thankfully, I managed to pitch the plane
back towards the runway and away from any spectators. My only concern was getting the
plane down as quickly and safely as possible”.
“Although I touched down on the grass I
still managed to keep it under control. All
that was left to do was get out and kiss the
ground. There were people slapping me on
the back and congratulating me on not
crashing the thing and ruining the day.” The
aircraft is designed to use a drag parachute as
a brake, but Mr Prothero did not have time to
deploy it.
So all ends that ends well, except that several
questions remained to be answered. Why
wasn’t there a certified pilot at the controls in
the first place? How was it possible to
‘accidently’ open the throttles to full power
for a low speed taxy display? Why was the
aircraft taxied at, or near to Vr? Why were
the flaps in the take-off position? Conspiracy
theorists claimed that both the occupants of the cockpit were total ‘turkeys’ and not heroes
at all and generally, there was a call for the CAA to throw the book at both of them! The
potential for a disaster existed and a major tragedy averted by the Grace of God alone.
Unexpectedly airborne, two unlicensed
‘operators’ at the controls of many tons
of ‘heavy metal’ viz ‘unguided missile’
let loose amongst thousands of
spectators. Melodramatic, I think not!
His co-pilot was an engineer with no flying experience who worked on the bomber’s
upkeep and was drafted in to control the throttle at the air show but then ‘froze’ at a time of
high stress. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) launched an investigation because neither
was officially licensed to fly, although it was fine for them to taxi along the runway as had
been intended. “This is a recognised state of mind which can affect certain individuals”, it
was claimed by CAA. Question. If there was a potential as the CAA claim for such a
situation to exist, surely regulations should not have permitted unqualified personnel to
even taxy the aircraft.
An irate official questioned: “This in a country that claims the moral high ground in the
application of regulations and airshow safety standards. Minimum fuel, no payload,
significant cross-wind, minimum unqualified crew and an old pilot who performed
brilliantly to correct his mistake but had failed to respond to the screaming engine noise in
the six to ten seconds it took to achieve take-off speed. If the terrified engineer failed to
react to the order to close throttles, the pilot should have immediately closed them himself,
long before he got airborne. Did the AIB institute any processes or regulations to prevent a
reoccurrence?”
a $1,100 per day fine. He was also denied from re-applying for any airman certificate for
one year.
Gilliss and Zweigle had been participating in a July 4th flyover in Tehachapi, California as
part of a three-aircraft formation of Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfins. The aircraft owned and
flown by Zweigle, dropped out of the formation, passing over a park and several houses
before impacting the ground, killing both onboard. Gilliss had signed Zweigle’s logbook
saying he had checked him (Zweigle) out in the Delfin, but an investigation found that the
checkride had not occurred.
The FAA also cited the FAR conditions of the flyover that prohibit flight below 1,000 feet
over a congested area except for the purpose of takeoff or landing and Gilliss allegedly
made two passes below that height. Since the L-29 was classified as an experimental
aircraft, carrying passengers was prohibited during any demonstration of the aircraft’s
“flight capability, performance, or unusual characteristics” unless the passenger was
essential for the purpose of the flight. The FAA Gilliss violated both of those FAR’s.
In the emergency order, the FAA stated
“(Y)ou failed to exercise the degree of care,
judgement, and responsibility required of the
holder of any airman certificate and you have
demonstrated that you presently lack the
qualifications required of the holder of any
airman certificate. Based on the foregoing
circumstances,
the
Administrator
has
determined that safety in the air or air
transportation and the public interest require
the revocation of your Airline Transport Pilot
Certificate, Ground Instructors Certificate and
all other airman certificates you may hold;
accordingly
this
order
is
effective
immediately.”
The vertical trajectory associated with
a flat spin is evident from the impact
photographs. (Colorado and Denver
News)
Gilliss, who flew with the Thunder Delfins, a
group of L-29 enthusiasts, told the LA Times
he would appeal the decision as the flyovers were conducted at an altitude of 1,200-1,500 ft
AGL. He also said the planes did not represent a danger to the public as they followed
nearby railroad tracks and did not fly directly over the city.
04 JULY 2009: L-29 DELFIN (TEHACHAPI, CALIFORNIA, USA)
In a show of ‘regulatory enforcement’, the FAA exercised its mandate by issuing an
Emergency Order of Revocation against Douglas Gilliss for falsifying the logbook of
David Zweigle, saying he had personally checked Zweigle’s ability to fly the L-29 Delfin
which crashed, killing Zweigle and his passenger, retired air force test pilot and airline pilot
Robert Chamberlain of Morrison, Colorado. The order further stated that Gilliss operated
his aircraft in an unsafe manner by overflying a densely populated area below 1,000 feet,
and carrying a passenger not required for the operation of the aircraft, all serious FAR
violations.
The FAA immediately revoked Gilliss’ ATP, Ground Instructor, and “all other airman
certificates you may hold”, ordering him to surrender them to the FAA immediately or face
09 JULY 2009: NORTH AMERICAN SNJ/T-6 (COLORADO, USA)
12 JULY 2009: PITTS S-1 (GROSSOSTHEIM, GERMANY)
A consummate SNJ/T-6 pilot, Gary Miller
went down in “Mystical Powers” while
engaged in an aerobatic practice session in
Colorado.
Witnesses
told
NTSB
investigators that they saw the plane pull up
vertically and perform a roll-type manoeuvre
before it entered a spin that continued until it
hit the ground. A fire erupted immediately
after impact.
The peace at a rural airfield in Germany was shattered when the Pitts pulled up into the
vertical, pushed over into a four turn spin to the left. Although the pilot recovered the
aircraft after four turns, there was insufficient height available to safely affect the recovery.
The proverbial extra ‘fifty feet’ would have been adequate for a safe recovery but alas, that
was not to be.
Gary was an ATP who had been flying since
14 years of age and had been taught to fly by
his father. He had over 800 hours in the
SNJ/T-6 and some 2500 hours total time. He
was Reno race qualified and had raced for
several years and was also an ICAS member
with a low-level aerobatic waiver.
10 JUL 2009: EDGE 540 (MISSOURI,
USA)
News headlines: “Tragedy Strikes Two
Pilots, Gary Miller and Chandy Clanton,
Practicing for Same Airshow”. “Hazards can
come at all times and in all forms, and few
people know that better than those who fly in
airshows, if not through their own occasional
moments of peril, then from the diminishing
ranks of their friends who have gone west”, a
media report read.
Two outstanding
members of the airshow community crashed,
oddly though, while practicing for the very
same airshow.
Airshow pilot Chandy Clanton, an
accomplished 36 year old airshow pilot, was
reported lost at the scene while preparing for
the 11th Tarkio Missouri Airshow. Clanton’s
Edge 540 went down in a bean field during
the practice session for a show planned for
the following day. The aircraft reportedly
“went down hard” while performing what her
father called “aggressive manoeuvres”; the
impact was said to be “Not Survivable” and
she was declared dead at the scene. The
airshow, the ‘Wing Nuts Flying Circus Fly-In’,
Memorial Airport.
Impact between the undercarriage and
the car’s roof, flipped the aircraft on its
back, without undercarriage.
18
JULY
2009:
ZLIN
Z-142
(DUNASKEZI AIRPORT, BUDAPEST,
HUNGARY)
With insufficient height to recover
from the vertical, the aircraft impacted
within the airfield boundary. (Index)
Old adage: “The display is not over
until the aircraft is safely parked and
the documentation signed off.” (Dave
Jefferys)
continued as scheduled at Gould Peterson
Clanton was a much celebrated member of the US Unlimited Aerobatic Team and flew at
the 2003 World Championships in Lakeland, Florida, where her bio reports that she was
the youngest female pilot. Clanton won the ‘Programme Q’ flight at the 2007
Championships in Granada, Spain, and was also the only woman named to the 2003 “Stars
of Tomorrow” programme where she performed before hundreds of thousands of
spectators at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh; in fact, she was the only “Stars” performer
invited back for the 2004 and 2005 shows.
During the recovery pull-out, the aircraft undercarriage struck a car which was parked on a
road near the airfield, the impact of the collision tore the undercarriage off the aircraft as it
crashed inverted in a nearby field. A couple who were in the car at the moment of impact,
suffered minor scratches and bruises while their 10-year old daughter suffered more serious
injuries, but no-one had to be hospitalised. The pilot also suffered minor injuries but did
not need hospitalisation. "Clearly guardian angels had a hand in the outcome,"
A 60-year-old security staff member was
killed and two others injured when the Zlin
142 crashed amid sudden high winds at an
airshow in Hungary. The victim was a
member of security staff at the Dunakeszi
airstrip, five kilometres north of the
Hungarian capital. The 30-year-old pilot of
the Zlin 142 was seriously injured but in
stable condition. Witnesses said the pilot
was attempting a final loop at the end of the
show when the accident happened. A
child, who was among the spectators at the
show, was also air lifted to hospital with
serious injuries.
15 AUGUST 2009: POLIKARPOV I-15
(ZHUKOVSKY, RUSSIA)
It was MAKS 2009 and Red23 had
completed his display and landed but on
taxying back to dispersal, the left wheel
entered an unseen hole in the ground, and
the aircraft tipped over with the spinning
propeller chopping into the ground. The
pilot was unhurt but the left undercarriage
leg was damaged, as well as the propeller,
but otherwise the aircraft seemed
undamaged. It was recovered and towed
away after 40 minutes.
16 AUGUST 2009: 2 X SUKHOI
RUSSIAN KNIGHTS SU-27 FLANKER
(MOSCOW, RUSSIA)
Mortally wounded and with the pilot
ejected, the SU-27 Flanker plunges
towards the ground after colliding with
the lead aircraft.
After having been hit by the left
wingman, significant damage was
accrued to the forward section of lead’s
aircraft. (Dimitry Karpov Pompeya 2009)
A mid-air collision between a single-seat Su-27 Flanker and a two-seat Su-27UB Flanker
occurred during the team’s final rehearsal for Russia’s major airshow, MAKS 2009, the
largest and most important exhibition for Russia’s aerospace industry in the town of
Zhukovsky.
The nine-ship formation sequence called for a formation split into two elements, a five ship
and a four-ship. The four-ship entered the vertical while the four-ship continued ahead,
straight and level. The intention was for the four-ship to slot back into the formation by
show centre, from behind and below. During the rejoin, the left wingman closed on the
lead with excessive closing speed and pulled up into the leader, impacting his aircraft in the
forward fuselage section causing significant structural damage leading to leader losing
control of the aircraft and becoming incapacitated.
The Radom International Airshow is recognised as one of Europe’s leading airshows with
participation from nations across Europe and North America but the Belarus Air Force’s
appearance at the Radom International Air Show was their very first time appearance at a
public air display in Western Europe. There were no additional casualties but the airshow
flight displays were immediately cancelled. There was no ejection and thankfully, there
was no collateral damage despite the fact that the aircraft crashed only 100 metres from
houses; a tragedy was most certainly averted.
Air force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Drik said that the three pilots had
ejected from the jets after the collision and that rescuers had found two in satisfactory
condition, one with suffered a spinal fracture, but the third was killed. The dead pilot was
identified as the Russian Knights’ leader, Colonel Igor Tkachenko. An accident
investigator stated that Tkachenko died because his parachute caught fire during the
ejection. The press service of the regional centre of the Emergencies Ministry reported that
five residents of the village where flaming aircraft wreckage impacted, had been taken to
hospital, one woman was seriously injured and four buildings damaged, including two
destroyed by fire.
Polish television video footage of the accident, showed the aircraft rolling to the right,
inverting and pitching nose-down, before rolling left to a level attitude, but failed to arrest
its descent from a downline manoeuvre, with the aircraft exploding on impact. The crash
occurred out of sight from the airshow’s crowds, with a thick plume of black smoke seen
rising from behind trees on the other side of the airfield.
“There was an orange flash during the collision, then black smoke,” one of the witnesses
said. “When the smoke cleared, we saw one of the planes spinning down outside the field.
We all held our breaths because we couldn’t quite tell what was happening to the pilots, if
they were alive or not. We couldn’t see any parachutes,” he said.
Prosecutors from the Moscow Military District launched a probe into the crash with pilot
error during the performance of aerobatics cited by a Defense Ministry spokesman as a
possible cause of the crash. The Russian Knights cancelled their performance at MAKS
2009 although the opening of the MAKS exhibition, continued as scheduled.
22 AUGUST 2009: EDGE 540 (SILVERSTONE, UNITED KINGDOM)
Vicki Cruse, a 40-year old world-class aerobatic champion and former member of the U. S.
National Aerobatic Team, died in an aircraft accident during the World Aerobatic
Championships in the United Kingdom. Using a borrowed Zivco Edge 540, an apparent
aircraft mechanical malfunction occurred during a qualifying flight at Britain’s Silverstone
motor racing circuit. She lost control of the aircraft and was too low to bail out.
Vicki had previously also competed in the Sport Class at the Reno Air Races using her own
experimental aircraft and was the President of the International Aerobatics Club, a member
of the Ventura County Ninety-nines, a branch of the International Organization of Women
Pilots and had won the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatics title in 2007. She had also competed in
Spain as a member of the American National Aerobatic Team.
30 AUGUST 2009: SUKHOI SU-27UBM FLANKER (RADOM, POLAND)
It is not an understatement to say that Radom has had its fair share of airshow accidents
over the last two years; the last event, in 2007, was marred by a fatal mid-air collision
involving two Zlin Z-526 aircraft from the Zelazny Aerobatic Team. Incidentally, this was
the second fatal accident involving a Su-27 Flanker at an airshow in 2009. Earlier in
August, the leader of the Russian Air Force Knights display team died after a mid-air
collision between two Su-27s during a rehearsal for the MAKS airshow in Moscow.
One of only four Belarusian Air Force SU-27UB aircraft crashed while performing at the
annual Radom Air Show, killing both pilots, Col. Alexander Morfintsky deputy
commander of an air force unit in western Belarus and Col. Alexander Zhuravlevich,
deputy commander of a fighter base.
Belarus’ ministry of defence had confirmed that it would provide a Sukhoi Su-27UBM for
the show, as well as a Sukhoi Su-24 and Ilyushin Il-76. Leaks from inside the Ministry of
Defence said that low flight hours of the pilots and inexperience in airshow protocols were
the primary contributing factors (sound familiar to Lviv?). At one point in the routine, as
the aircraft climbed, the pilot put the aircraft a half-roll into a split “S”, but he had bled off
excessive energy before the roll and simply “fell” into the downward phase, which
probably “rattled” the pilot, he ended up with too much workload (no situational
awareness, viz. disorientation combined with and task saturation), as a chain reaction of not
flying the aircraft to the point where he simply had insufficient height and power to climb
out and he hit the deck in the forest.
06 SEPTEMBER 2009: CAP-10B (MONTICHIARI, ITALY)
Pulling out from the vertical at the Brixia air show to celebrate the centenary of the first
international air show in Brescia in 1909, the pilot entered a positioning turn to the left
while the aircraft trajectory was still on the downline and the aircraft had not recovered
from the pull-out. With the lift vector tilted, the vertical contribution to the dive recovery
was reduced which meant that the aircraft, a CAP-10B, was unable to avoid impacting the
ground. Of the two pilots, Marzio Maccarana, 26, was killed and Paolo Castellani, 52, was
critically injured.
Tasked as the programmes ‘gap-filler’ for the anticipated arrival of the Frecce Tricolori
and the Red Arrows, the CAP 10 was put up on display. On board was the head instructor
at the flight school of the Aero Club Brescia, 52, with a background in the Air Force and a
26 year old, experienced pilot in the service of a civil airline. The planned exhibition of
Tricolori and Arrows aerobatic team was cancelled. How could this have happened? Two
hypotheses are still being examined by experts; the first was a loss of engine power at the
time of the turn, the second, considered most probable, was that the pilot at the controls
made a judgement error.
07 SEPTEMBER 2009: EXPERIMENTAL SIX CHUTER SR7 (HOOPER, UTAH,
USA)
It was about mid-afternoon when an experimental Six Chuter SR7 unregistered aircraft was
substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while manoeuvring near Hooper, Utah.
The pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries but two people located on the ground,
sustained serious injuries and four people sustained minor injuries. The local flight
originated from a field adjacent to the accident site about 10 minutes prior to the accident.
The pilot and passenger were conducting a flight over the Hooper Tomato Day’s annual
event to throw candy to a crowd of spectators. The pilot reported that while flying on a
westerly heading, he passed over a set of power lines and the passenger “started dumping
candy.” The pilot stated that he then “lost lift” and “could not recover.” Subsequently, the
aircraft impacted terrain within the crowd of spectators and rolled over.
One of the first things that are drilled into display pilots about operations near any
assembly of people is not to operate the aircraft in such a way as to potentially jeopardise
the safety of anyone on the ground. Unfortunately the operator apparently did not heed that
missive and sport aviation received a black eye when the “candy drop” resulted in the
aircraft going down into and injuring the spectators. Two of those on the ground sustained
serious injuries as a result, and four more were slightly injured.
22 SEPTEMBER 2009: ILYUSHIN 76-MD “SIMORGH” AWACS AND
NORTHROP F-5E TIGER (TEHRAN, IRAN)
Above a big military parade, as the Iranian president declared Iran’s armed forces would
“chop off the hands” of any power daring to attack his country, two air force aircraft
collided in mid-air. One was Iran’s only airborne warning and control system (AWACS)
for coordinating long-distance aerial operations, and the other a Northrop F-5E Tiger. The
parade, which included a march-past, a line of Shehab-3 missiles and an air force fly-past,
was planned to give Ahmadinejad a dazzling send-off for New York and add steel to his
UN Assembly speech.
Dubbed “Simorgh” (a flying creature of Iranian fable which performs wonders in midflight), the AWACS’ appearance, escorted by fighter jets, was to have been the climax for
the Iranian Air force’s fly-past over the parade, instead, it collided with one of the escorting
aircraft, a F-5E, and both crashed to the ground in flames. All seven crewmembers of the
IL-75 were killed but the 2 pilots of the F-5E survived the ejection.
Eye witnesses reported that the flaming planes impacted on the mausoleum burial site of
the Islamic revolution’s founder Ruhollah Khomeini, a national shrine. According to
Western observers, no distress signals came from either cockpit indicating that the collision
was sudden and fast.
Military sources said the disaster was a serious blow to the Iranian Air Force not long after
its first and only AWACS went into service in April 2008. It was a renovated version of
the Russian Ilyushin 76, part of Saddam Hussein’s air force before it was transferred to Iran
in 1991 during the first Gulf War. The loss of this airborne control system has left Iran’s
air force and air and missile defences without “electronic eyes” for surveillance of the skies
around its borders.
07 OCTOBER 2009: MIKOYAN MiG-23 (TRIPOLI, LIBYA)
Libya’s state-run news agency (JANA) reported that a Libyan Air Force MiG-23 ‘Flogger’
jet crashed into a house during the Third Libyan Aviation Exhibition LAVEX, an
international air show, at Ma’atiqa International Airport, killing the pilot and the co-pilot,
both colonels in the Libyan Air Force. One of the casualties was believed to be the CO of
1023 squadron.
The JANA report stated that three people on the ground, including two women, were
injured when the MiG-23 crashed into an eastern suburb of Tripoli, about 2 kilometers
from observation platforms at the Libyan Aviation Conference & Exhibition, destroying
most of the houses the aircraft hit.
14 NOVEMBER 2009: ENGLISH ELECTRIC P1B LIGHTNING (WESTERN
CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA)
Around midday at the South African Air Force’s Flight Test Centre, the bi-annual ‘TFDC
Fly-In’ was in full swing and the spectators in the process of being enthralled by the brute
power of the Cold War Era English Electric Lightning being flown by Thunder City
display and former SAAF fixed wing test pilot, Dave Stock. Coming out of a manoeuvre
in a steep turn at show centre, the pilot terminated his display with a call to air traffic
control that he had indications of Hydraulic 1 failure and stated that he would move away
from the airfield to overhead the Overberg Weapons Test Range to burn off fuel before
returning for landing.
Very shortly after the first radio call, after
having extended the undercarriage as per the
emergency procedures, he calmly announced
the failure of Hydraulic 2 system and
realising that ejection was now the only
option, he announced his intentions to eject.
Not long after that announcement and after
three ejection attempts, he called: “ejection
seat failure”. Nearly simultaneously, the
aircraft pitched nose down and entered a steep
spiral descent, impacting on the weapons
range several seconds later. Very sadly, and
quite calmly, realising his impending fate, he
once again calmly requested the air traffic
controller to inform those close to him, that
“he loved them”.
The last pass across show centre of the
Lightning before the pilot called
Hydraulic failure clearly showing a
fire raging in the tailpipe. (Gary
Shepard)
The primary cause of the accident was most
probably flight control failure as a result of hydraulic failure induced fire. Reviewing
images taken by spectators, it appeared that a fire had started in the jetpipe, most probably
caused by the ignition of the hydraulic fluid that had pooled up in the aft section of the
fuselage and in all likelihood, burnt through the elevator control which was subsequently
manifested by the loss of pitch control.
It would appear that this was a very similar case to that of the SAAFs Silver Falcon loss
during an airshow at Stellenbosch in April 1988 when the pilot ejected from the Aermacchi
MB-326M due to a tailpipe fire which burned so intensely, fuelled by leaked diesel ‘smoke
oil’, that the elevator control rods burnt through, making ejection the only possible option.
In this case, poor maintenance of a recent repair scheme on the ‘smoke system’ was the
direct contributory cause.
29 NOVEMBER 2009: CAP 20 (NEW CALEDONIA, NEW ZEALAND)
Christene Darbel, flying a CAP 20, suffered a broken thigh when the aircraft crashed
during her display at the Ouatom Airshow. Approximately 2,000 spectators attended the
show that brought aero clubs from around the territory, together. She was airlifted to
hospital.
Conclusion
As an international airshow community, we seem to have plateau’d in our ability to reduce
accidents and incidents at airshows. The question is: “can we afford then to just continue
and accept an average of 19 accidents/incidents per annum. Can we afford to just accept
what the dice have dealt with the associated loss of life? Are we doing enough worldwide
to reduce the number of airshow accidents/incidents? Based on the fickleness of human
judgement in the low level display environment, is it realistic to believe that zero accidents
are possible in a given year? If not, what is an acceptable loss rate? Should one even
consider anything else that a target of zero accidents per annum?
2010 SYMPOSIUM INFORMATION
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
1600 Disneyland Dr.
Anaheim CA 92802
TECHNICAL TOUR
Hovering from 1’ to 1.5 million km - The Dr. Gerry T. Morton Technical Tour, on Wednesday,
22 September, will visit three locations in the LA area. The cost is $75.00, which includes
continental breakfast, transportation, tours and lunch. The tour will depart Disney’s Grand
Californian Hotel at 0830 for a 45 minute drive to our first stop, Robinson Helicopters at
Torrance Airport. Founded in 1973 by Frank Robinson, the company currently produces
more helicopters annually than all of the other North American manufactures combined.
Robinson’s modern factory was designed and built for helicopter manufacturing. The
facility is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art machinery, including extensive use of
CNC (computer numerically controlled) machining centers. Robinson was among the
first North American aerospace firms to be awarded ISO 9001 certification for helicopter
design, manufacture and service. In 1997, Mr. Robinson was presented the Doolittle Award
by the Society of Experimental Test Pilots for outstanding professional accomplishment
in Aerospace Technical Management and Engineering. The tour will take us through the
factory floor where the R22 and R44 helicopters are currently being assembled and will end
at the Acceptance Test Flight Hanger providing a chance to see the finished product. For
more information on the company, check out their web site at www.robinsonheli.com. The
tour will then move a short distance down the flight line to the Western Museum of Flight
(www.wmof.com) where we will have a lunch and enjoy an informal tour of the museum.
There will also be a short presentation on some of the Northrop Grumman memorabilia on
display. The Western Museum of Flight is a non-profit, educational institution dedicated
to preserving and displaying aircraft history and artifacts of Southern California’s aviation
heritage. The Western Museum of Flight’s aircraft has many significant historical aircraft,
including a P-51D, an F-86, one of the original YF-17 prototypes and the JB-1 Buzz Bomb
flying wing. The museum is also the custodian of the YF-23 which should hopefully be
back at their location by the time of our tour. After a short drive up to Redondo Beach,
the tour will finish up with a visit to Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Division. At this
location, we will have a chance to see the James Web Telescope from their observation
room and visit the Environmental Test Laboratory. When launched in 2014, the James
Webb Space Telescope will peer into the past to a time when new stars and developing
galaxies were first beginning to form. The telescope’s infrared instruments will measure
and capture images and spectra of galaxies that formed billions of years ago The James
Webb Telescope will take its place at the second Lagrange point, L2, approximately 1.5
million kilometers beyond Earth’s orbit, nearly four times the distance from the Earth to
the moon. The tour will return back to Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel at approximately
1630. Be advised, for the Robinson tour, the following restrictions exist: •All attendees
must be wearing closed-toe shoes in order to attend the tour. •No Children under the age
of 12 will be allowed to attend •Cameras are allowed, however, photography will only
be permitted at the conclusion of the tour in the flight-test hangar. No photography is
allowed throughout the factory portion of the tour. •RHC is Handicap Accessible, but
the factory is very large and a wheel chair is recommended for those that have trouble
walking long distances. Due to security restrictions, all tour attendees must register by
COB 17 September. In order to coordinate access to Northrop Grumman’s facilities, certain
information must be provided to SETP by that date. For US citizens we require: •Name
•Company Name (if applicable) •Driver’s License # •Issuing State •Date of Birth For
Non-US citizens, we require: •Title, Last Name, First, MI, Suffix (i.e. Capt. Smith, James
H, Sr.) •Date of Birth or Social Security Number •Citizenship (Country Name) •Passport
Number •Organization Name (Visitor Firm/Agency) if applicable •Country Represented
by Organization Note on the day of the tour, US citizens must be in possession of their
driver’s license and non-US citizens must be in possession of their passport.
WELCOME RECEPTION
A Welcome Reception for registrants will be held in the Sequoia Foyer the evening of
Wednesday, 22 September from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. Light hors’ d oeuvres will be served.
Dress will be informal and there is no cost for this event.
TECHNICAL SESSIONS
The Technical Sessions will begin on Thursday, 23 September at 8:30am and conclude
on Saturday, 25 September at 12:00pm. All attendees will receive continuing education
credits through Embry-Riddle University. Dress for the sessions will be business attire or
military uniform of the day.
SPOUSES EVENT
Back by popular demand, spouses will enjoy a Temecula Winery Tour and Luncheon on
Thursday, 23 September. The day begins at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast in the
Sequoia Foyer of the Grand Californian Hotel. At 9:00, the winery shuttle departs for a
tour of three lovely wineries. The first stop is Keyways Vineyard, the only woman owned
and managed winery in Southern California. Next, we’ll visit Leonesse Cellars, which was
our most popular stop on the last tour. The final destination is Wilson Creek Winery where
we will sample their award winning wines and famous almond champagne followed by a
gourmet picnic lunch. The shuttle will return to the Hotel at approximately 4:30 p.m. The
cost for this event is $98.00 per person which includes continental breakfast, transportation,
wine tastings and lunch. Please select your lunch entrée on the order form. Your options
are: chicken/ham panini, Angus beef patty melt or turkey/avocado/Swiss on sourdough.
Note: Tickets must be purchased in advance – no tickets are available at the hotel.
MOVIE NIGHT
“Gray Eagles” - A Documentary by Chris Woods. A special viewing of “Gray Eagles”
will be held on Thursday, 23 September at 7:30pm in the Sequoia Ballroom. The film tells
the story of 1973 SETP President Jim Brooks, an ace P-51 Mustang fighter pilot during
World War II. It is a great video paying tribute to the P-51 and the men who flew them,
with some stunning flight scenes. There is no charge for this event.
LUNCHEON
A Luncheon, with Guest Speaker Brig Gen Robert Cardenas, USAF (Ret) (M) will be
held on Friday, 24 September from 12:30pm to 2:00pm. This luncheon is included in the
registration fee, and guests can purchase tickets for $55.00 per person.
FRIDAY NIGHT RECEPTION
On Friday, 24 September, we are holding the dinner reception inside DISNEYLAND. All
attendees will receive free entry into Disneyland from 5:00pm to closing at midnight. The
SETP Reception will be held at Festival Arena (maps will be provided). The social hour
will begin at 6:00pm, with a dinner buffet served from 7:00pm-8:30pm. Due to the length
of the walk to the new venue, transportation will be provided for those who may require
it. Please use the order form to request this service. Dress for the event is business casual
and the ticket is included in the registration fee. For those not registered, tickets may be
purchased for $75 and children ages 3-9 are $25.
ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
The SETP Annual Business meeting will be held upon adjournment of the final symposium
session on Saturday, 25 September. This meeting will be open to all grades of membership
and corporate representatives. SETP President, Terry Tomeny of Boeing will preside at
this meeting. An update on Society activities will be presented and 2010/11 SETP Officers
will be installed.
BANQUET
On Saturday, 25 September the 54th Annual Awards Banquet will be held at 7:00pm
in the Sequoia Ballroom. A social hour will begin at 6:00pm. Tickets for the event are
$135.00. Good news! For the first time ever – since our Banquet is now a fundraiser for
our Scholarship Foundation (one of the most important benefits of our membership in the
Society) – U.S. residents can deduct a portion of the ticket price as a charitable contribution
on your tax return as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. You
will receive a tax receipt when you order your tickets. Dress for the event is Black Tie
or military mess dress and appropriate formal wear for ladies. The program will include
a wine auction (wine donated by SETP Charter Member George E. Cooper (F) - Cooper
Garrod Winery) presentation of Fellows, the Iven C. Kincheloe, J. H. Doolittle, Ray E.
Tenhoff, Tony LeVier and H. R. Salmon Awards.
ATTIRE FOR EACH EVENT
Welcome Reception - Business Casual
Technical Tour - Business Casual and closed toe shoes
Technical Sessions - Business/Military uniform of the day
Spouses Event - Business Casual
Friday Night Reception - Business Casual
Banquet - Black Tie/Military Mess Dress
Additional Information : Symposium registration includes continental
breakfast on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the luncheon, Friday reception and symposium
proceedings. You can register on-line using the SETP secure online registration form, or
by fax 1-661-940-0398. Registration rates are as follows: (Please note that the registration
fees will increase after 6 September 2010). Please notify SETP of any name changes or
substitutions by 10 September. The deadline for refunds or cancellations is 17 September
2010.
Registration @ $375.00 (SETP Technical Session Presenter/University Students)
Registration @ $475.00 early/$575.00 late (SETP Members – 65 + years)
Registration @ $575.00 early/$675.00 late (SETP Members, TPS Students)
Registration @ $650.00/$750.00 late (Affiliated Organizations)
Registration @ $700.00/$800.00 late (Non SETP Members)
Lodging Information: The Grand Californian and the Paradise Pier are now
accepting room reservations. The group rate is $202 for single/double at the Grand
Californian. For those wishing to stay at the Paradise Pier, located across the street from
the Grand Californian, the room rate is $168.00 single/double. A very limited block of
U.S. military/government rooms has been reserved at the Paradise Pier Hotel, for active
U.S. military/government employees at a rate of $122.00.
Reservations for both hotels can be made by calling 1-714-520-5005, email dl.travel.group.
reservation.sales@disney.com or online from https://resweb.passkey.com/go/SETP2010.
When booking your reservation please indicate that you are with Society of Experimental
Test Pilots and mention group code GCSI10A. The cut-off-date for reservations is Monday,
21 August 2010. Reservations after the cut-off-date are subject to availability.
TRAVEL: The SETP Foundation has a travel web site. If you need to book airline, why
not try http://www.ytbtravel.com/setp. Ticket prices are comparable to other travel web
sites, but you will supporting the SETP Foundation by using our site.
REQUEST FOR NOMINEES FOR
KINCHELOE AND DOOLITTLE AWARDS
The Board of Directors of The Society of Experimental Test Pilots has issued a call for
nominations for the Iven C. Kincheloe Award and the J. H. Doolittle Award. Any member or
person who has knowledge of a candidate’s accomplishments may submit a nomination(s)
for either or both of these awards. To help in determining appropriate nominees, information
about each award is given below.
NOMINATIONS FOR KINCHELOE AND DOOLITTLE AWARDS MUST:
♦ Be presented in writing not later than 18 August 2010.
♦ Contain pertinent information concerning the candidate’s work. A minimum of 50
words describing why the nomninee should be considered is requested. Without
this substaniating data, the Board will not be able to consider the nomination.
♦ Be submitted to the SETP Board of Directors, P.O. Box 986, Lancaster, CA 93584.
or on-line at http://www.setp.org/table/nomination.
Selection will be announced at the 54th Awards Banquet on 25 September 2010 at The
Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim, California.
The presentations of these Awards are highlights of the Banquet. Each recipient will receive
a small replica of the respective award, while the perpetual trophies remain on display at
SETP Headquarters.
THE IVEN C. KINCHELOE AWARD
(Sponsored by Lockheed Martin) - In 1958, The Society of Experimental Test Pilots
established the Iven C. Kincheloe Award in memory of the late Captain Iven C. Kincheloe,
USAF. The purpose of the Kincheloe Award is to recognize outstanding professional
accomplishment in the conduct of flight-testing.
KINCHELOE SELECTION CRITERIA
1. Recipient must be a living member of the Society.
2. The accomplishment or at least a significant phase must have occurred during
the past year (1 July to 1 July).
3. The accomplishment must involve actual flight-testing conducted by the individual
and represent outstanding contribution to an aerospace flight program while acting
as a test pilot thereon.
THE J. H. DOOLITTLE AWARD
(Sponsored by Boeing) - was established to honor outstanding accomplishment in
technical management or engineering aspects of aerospace technology. It was presented
for the first time in 1966.
DOOLITTLE SELECTION CRITERIA
1. Recipient must be a living member of the Society.
2.A significant phase of his accomplishment must have occurred while a member
of the Society.
3. The accomplishment clearly must be in technical management or engineering
aspects of aerospace technology.
4th Annual SETP Southeast Symposium
Ft. Walton Beach, Florida
24-25 February 2011
The 4th Annual Southeast Symposium will be held 24-25 February 2011 at the Ramada
Plaza Beach Resort in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.
This is an official call for papers. Presentations should be limited to 30 minutes, including
the discussion period. No proceedings are published for this Symposium therefore formal
written papers are not required. Those interested in presenting should submit an abstract
by 20 December 2010 to:
Gary Plumb, SE Section Chairman
C/O SETP Headquarters
Post Office Box 986
Lancaster , California 93584-0986
Email: shawna@setp.org
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: A limited block of rooms has been reserved at the
government rate of $81 at the Ramada Plaza Beach Resort. Reservations may be made by
calling 1-800-874-8962. When calling, please mention that you are attending the Society
of Experimental Test Pilots symposium to receive the negotiated rate.
WANTED: TECHNICAL ARTICLES!!!!!!!
Get Published! Share the Results and Lessons-Learned from your Flight Test program! The
Society is soliciting technical articles from SETP Members for publication in COCKPIT
Magazine. If you have written a paper and would like to have it considered for publication,
please feel free to send it in. We are also interested in historical and humorous articles.
If you’ve been considering writing a technical, historical, or humorous article related to
Flight Test, now is the time! All articles submitted will be given serious consideration
for publication in COCKPIT Magazine. All published technical articles are considered
for the Salmon Award.
To submit articles please contact Shawna Mullen at
1-661-942-9574 or
Shawna@setp.org.
SETP Headquarters
P.O. Box 986
Lancaster, CA 93584
2010 SYMPOSIUM HIGHLIGHTS
Southeast Section 3rd Annual Symposium
The SETP SE Section held its very successful
3rd Annual Symposium on 4-5 February at the
Ramada Plaza Beach Resort, Fort Walton Beach,
Florida. The two-day event began with a well
attended Thursday night reception. On Friday over
80 members and interested parties in attendance
were treated to 11 briefings split over morning and
afternoon technical sessions. Additionally Col
Art ‘Turbo’ Tomasetti, USMC (AF) delivered the
thought-provoking lunchtime presentation, “Test Pilot 2040”.
SETP President Terry Tomeny chaired the morning session consisting of the following
excellent papers: “Time Safety Margin: A New Look at Dive Planning for Flight Test”, Lt
Col Bill Gray, USAF (Ret, AF), “New Approaches to BAL Loads Testing”, John Sekas,
USAF Seek Eagle Office, “Dropping the Bomb: A-10C JDAM Testing Failures”, Maj
Matthew Domsalla, USAF (PAM) and Capt Kirt Cassell, USAF, “Abort! Abort! Abort!
Origins, Revisions and a Compelling Need to Change The Flutter Testing Uniform Abort
Policy”, Lt Col Mike Jansen, USAF (M). The fifth paper was a ‘blast from the past’
presented by Larry Van Pelt entitled “The Affect of External Stores on Aircraft Stability”
and was a welcome reprise of his National Symposium award winning paper from 1969.
Following a great lunch and Turbo’s colorful
exploration of what test pilots might be doing in
2040, the afternoon session was chaired by the 46
Test Wing Vice Commander, Col Evan Thomas,
USAF (M). The session consisted of a further five
absorbing papers: “Just Say “No” to Crack: A-10C
Precision Engagement Modified Pylon Cracking
Investigation”, Maj Chris Seager, USAF (PAM)
and Ellis Moser, 40 FLTS, “Tanker Tests With
Typhoons: USAF KC-135/KC-10 & NATO Eurofighter Air Refueling Qualification
Testing Over the Irish Sea”, Maj Prospero Uybarreta, USAF (PAM), “T-38 Airframe
and Engine Integration”, Maj Matthew Berggren, USAF (PAM) and Capt Lane Haubelt,
USAF, “Evaluation of Asymmetrical Roll Rates of the HH-60G Pavehawk Helicopter”,
Lt Col Paul Fiorenza, USAF and Maj Jeffrey Mabry, USAF (M), “Developmental Flight
Testing of a Special Mission DeHavilland Canada Dash
8/102”, Paul Schreck, SAIC (M) and Jesse Whitfield, SAIC,
and “What Happens When the Safety Review Fails”, Edward
Curtis (M).
The briefings covered a diverse array of topics and were all
of a very high standard. The judging committee awarded the
best brief to Lt Col Fiorenza and Maj Mabry for their HH60G paper, followed a close second by Lt Col Gray for his
dive planning paper and third place went to Lt Col Jansen
for his flutter abort policy paper. The SE Section Committee
wishes to thank all of the presenters, attendees, sponsors
and the SETP HQ staff for making this event so successful
and look forward to more of the same at the 4th Annual
Symposium next year.
40th San Diego Symposium
The 40th Annual San Diego Symposium and Banquet was held on March 26-27. We
returned to the Catamaran Resort & Spa this year and had a great turnout! Aerospace
Services International, General Atomics, JT3, Lockheed Martin, Scales Composites,
and Mojave Air and Spaceport joined Northrop Grumman in generously supporting this
year’s event. Thanks to Kevin Prosser’s (AF) outstanding legwork, attendees were treated
to an outstanding rundown of technical papers, with topics including X-51A, Airborne
Laser, CF-18 landing gear tests, T-38 airframe/engine integration, tanker testing, pitotstatic calibration, and a “Wind Tunnel in the Sky.”
The Fellows held their annual meeting immediately
following the second technical session. Master of
Ceremonies for this year’s Awards Banquet was the
Air Force Flight Test Center Commander, Major
General David Eichhorn (AF). Bill Gray (AF) of the
USAF Test Pilot School earned the Jack Northrop
Award for his truly outstanding “Time Safety
Margin: A Generalized Methodology for Dive Safety
Planning.” Billy Flynn’s (F) and Kevin Prosser’s
(l to r) David Eichhorn, James
(AF) “Next-Generation Ground Collision Avoidance Lovell, Terry Tomeny and Winette
System Test Results” paper, along with two other
Tomeny
papers from recent test pilot school graduates received
“honorable mentions” from the judges. The highlight of the event was provided by
our Banquet Guest Speaker, Apollo 13’s Captain James Lovell (F). Over 100 banquet
attendees were treated to an enthralling account of the most “successful failure” in the
history of spaceflight.”
26th East Coast Symposium
The East Coast Section sponsored the 26th East Coast
Symposium on April 16, 2010 on board Patuxent River
Naval Air Station. As in past years, the symposium was
a one-day event that was conducted in coordination
with USN Test Pilot School Alumni Association
Reunion, so that members may easily attend both
functions. The symposium was well attended, with
144 SETP members, USNTPS students and flight
test professionals
taking part in the
event
Under incredibly sunny skies, the morning kicked
off at the wonderful U. S. Naval Test Pilot School
facility with a delicious continental breakfast.
After this chance to meet up with old friends and
socialize, the morning technical session began in
the USNTPS Auditorium. It included excellent
briefings from government, industry, and academia.
Papers detailed the rapid prototyping and flight
testing of the Calspan Airborne Systems Laboratory,
flight testing of the Thrush S2R-T34 AG Aircraft, and Norway’s infrared seeker captive
carriage flight test program. Presentations covered the test team’s results and lessons
learned.
Following the morning presentations, the participants
stepped outside onto the flight line to get a close look
at the cockpits of aircraft new to USNTPS on static
display. These included the UH-72 Lakota utility
helicopter, the Super Hornet, the “Strike Saab” flying
Systems Lab, and the T-6B Texan. Also on hand was
a brand new Cirrus SR-22 that was flown in by Mr.
Gary Black (M).
The venue for the luncheon and the afternoon
session was the brand new Pax River “River’s Edge”
Conference Center overlooking the Marina and
Patuxent River. The guest speaker at the luncheon was Rear Admiral David “Decoy”
Dunaway, USN, Commander, Operational Test and Evaluation Force. RDML Dunaway
provided an excellent speech on the continued need for both operational and development
testing, and how communication and coordination
is essential to ensure capable and effective future
weapons systems arrive in the fleet as quickly as
possible.
The afternoon technical session consisted of more
outstanding presentations.
Flight test results of
a synthetic vision system to combat brownout for
tactical helicopters as well as synthetic “Green” fuels
testing in the T-6 were presented. Also, an insightful
brief on collation of natural and man-made disasters
with flight test mishaps and near mishaps was
provided, as was a general overview of the developmental Cirrus “Vision” personal jet.
The afternoon papers concluded with a presentation from SETP’s National President
Terry Tomeny (F) on “The State of the Society.”
The final event of the symposium was the cocktail
reception, which was hosted by the USNTPS
Alumni Association and supported by our corporate
sponsors. The highlight of the reception was Mr.
Les Ryan (Northrop Grumman Test Pilot) presenting
the annual Leroy Grumman Award to LCDR Cliff
Camamile, USN (VX-20) and Ms. Erin Mrozowski
(NAVAIR) for their paper titled “T-6A Synthetic
Fuels Evaluation.” The Leroy Grumman award was
sponsored by the Northrop Grumman Corporation
to honor the speakers that present the best technical
paper at the East Coast Symposium.
I would like to express my sincere personal thanks to all the symposium speakers, the
SETP National Officers, the SETP East Coast Section Officers, the SETP headquarters
staff, the USNTPS and the TPS Alumni Association, as well as our sponsoring corporate
members for their support in making the 2010 Symposium a success.
CDR Eric Mitchell, USN, Symposium Chairman
SETP/SFTE Flight Test Safety Workshop
This year’s Flight Test safety Workshop (FTSW) was
held from 3-6 May at the Doubletree Hotel in San Jose,
California. The workshop, organized by the SETP/SFTE
Flight Test Safety Committee (FTSC) was chaired by FTSC
board member Rodrigo (Rod) Huete (AF). The theme for
2010 was “Configuration Management – Know what you’re
testing”. As is now a standard practice, the workshop includes a one day tutorial on a
general safety topic; this year the topic was “Safety Management Systems (SMS) – what
is it and how do you implement it”. The tutorial was conducted by representatives from
ICAO and the FAA. The technical tour was coordinated by SETP Fellow Warren Hall and
was held at NASA Ames with a visit to the Hiller Aviation Museum. For entertainment
we were treated to an evening at the award winning “Cooper-Garrod Winery”, located
in the Santa Cruz Mountains and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We enjoyed a tour of
the winery, a wine tasting and a dinner reception with live music. Cooper-Garrod Winery
was founded in 1973 by SETP Charter Member, George Cooper (of the Cooper-Harper
rating scale). He wanted something fun to do after his “retirement”, so he planted grapes
and set about learning to make wine.
The technical sessions were chaired by Ken Sasine,
Jim Richmond, Russ Stewart, and Sam Gemar.
Approximately one hundred attendees enjoyed
presentations covering the workshop theme as well as
other lessons learned topics. This year the workshop
instituted for the first time a best presentation award.
The award is now known as the “Bombardier Aerospace
Flight Test Safety Workshop Best presentation Award”
thanks to the sponsorship of Bombardier Aerospace.
Session Chair Sam Gemar, representing Bombardier,
made the presentation to the winner which was “Time
Rod Huete, Tom Roberts, Sam
Safety Margin: A Generalized Methodology for Dive (l to r) Gemar
and Jim Brown.
Safety Planning” presented by Jim Brown for Bill Gray
who could not attend; honorable mention was given to Dale Bleakney for his presentation
on “SkyCatcher Flight Test Program and Lessons Learned During Spin Testing”.
As always, the SETP and SFTE staff were invaluable in providing their usually
outstanding logistical support.
Great Lakes Section Symposium
The Great Lakes Section held its annual Symposium on
27 May 2010 at the Wright Patterson AFB Club. There
were four outstanding papers presented including; an
update on the Navy UCAS-D program given by RAdm
(ret) Tim Beard, B-2 Radar Modernization Program
by Don Weiss (M), MC-12W Program by Major Chris
Robinson and Major Dick Waggoner and “Flight Test
of the Boeing 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control
Norm Howell speaking
Countermeasures Dispense Envelope” presented by
Mark Mitchell (M) and Norm Howell (AF) of Boeing. There was also a panel discussion
on Test Planning that featured Lt Gen (ret) Dick Reynolds (F), Mr. Bob Eslinger of the
F-22 Test Shop and Col (ret) Robbie Robinson (AF). The
Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, sponsored this year
by Northrop Grumman, for the best paper was awarded
to Mark and Norm for their outstanding paper on the 737
Counter Measures Dispense Envelope testing.
Our luncheon speaker was Brig Gen (sel) Arnie Bunch
(M), past Commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards.
Arnie has just returned to Wright Patterson AFB as the
Program Executive Officer.
Panel Discussion
Participants included local SETP members, Society of Flight Test Engineers members
and interested USAF test planners and program mangers. The day was capped off with
a joint dinner between SETP and SFTE members at the Engineers Club in Dayton Ohio.
At the dinner SFTE founding member Jim Papa spoke about the founding of the SFTE.
The SFTE local President is Sam Carbaugh.
3rd Annual Central Section Symposium
On June 18th, 2010, approximately 55 people gathered at the
Hotel at old Town in Wichita, KS for the 3rd Annual Central
Section Symposium. Overall it was one of the best days of flight
test lessons-learned I have had the privilege to attend! Many
of the attendees were local members however we did receive
guests from Georgia Tech and speakers from as far away as
Seattle. After some introductory remarks by the symposium
chairman, Marc Mannella, Central Section Vice Chairman,
Dan Hinson
Dan Hinson welcomed everyone Central Section
Vice Chairman
and conducted some brief society
business. In the morning session, Tony Lambregts, FAA
Chief Scientist and Technical Advisor for Advanced
Controls discussed best practices for Fly by Wire design.
Wichita ACO Flight Test Manager Gerry Baker highlighted
potential operational hazards not covered by certification
requirements including the difference between certification
stalls and stalls conducted to practical test standards.
Dave Lewandowski and Aaron Tobias, Cessna Flight Test,
(l to r) Marc Mannella, Cessna
followed with lessons-learned
Symposium Chairman and
from stall testing with ice shapes
Dave Brant, Cessna
Senior Vice President for
on the Citation CJ-4 and Mark
Product Engineering
Schlegel, Bombardier Flight
Test Center, took us into the lunch hour with a report on
industry progress towards operational credit for reduced
minimums using Enhanced and Synthetic Vision systems.
During the lunch hour, Dave Brant, Cessna’s Senior Vice
President for Product Engineering offered a very insightful
and entertaining discussion of market trends and future
(l to r) Dennis Newton and
development possibilities. During the afternoon session,
Marc Mannella
Dan Hinson, Hawker Beechcraft and LtCol Keith Colmer,
USAF Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center (AATC) gave an
update of the AT-6A Texan including takeoff and landing operations from austere fields
and lakebeds. Dale Bleakney, Cessna Flight Test, discussed lessons-learned from the
Cessna Skycatcher Light Sport Airplane (LSA) development and certification program
and Dennis Newton, Consultant DER and former Chief Test Pilot for Lear Fan brought
us home with a reflections-style look back at first flight of the Lear Fan. All of the
papers were simply outstanding!! It was a difficult task but the selection committee
consisting of: Kevin Cambell, FAA, Ed Grabman, Bombardier Flight Test Center and
Will Gibbons, Cessna Flight Test, selected Dale Bleakney to receive the Lloyd C.
Stearman award for best paper. After closing
remarks by Dan Hinson, we enjoyed a buffet
and happy hour in the hotel atrium. Many
thanks to our sponsors for allowing us to keep
the registration costs unusually low: Garmin,
Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft, Learjet Production
Flight Test and Bombardier. Many thanks to
Paula, Shawna and Laurie for all of the great
support throughout the year leading up to the
symposium! Look for next year’s symposium
(l to r) Marc Mannella, Dale Bleakney, Will Gibbons,
in the Spring of 2011!
Kevin Cambell and Ed Grabman
SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
NEWS
SETP Scholarship Foundation: Meet Our Donors
Many of our members like you are taking advantage of special gift arrangements that ensure
the children of deceased or disabled SETP members can go to college. These arrangements
often provide the member with significant benefits including potential increased income,
lower taxes (income tax and capital gains), the elimination of estate taxes, diversification
of assets, and more.
What follows is the story of one SETP member whose family has chosen to remember the
SETP Scholarship Foundation in its estate plan.
Addison S. Thompson (F)
For SETP Fellow and past President Addison Thompson, the SETP Scholarship Foundation
represents “one of the better activities that SETP does – to watch out for our members
and their families.”
Thompson became involved with the Scholarship Foundation in the 1980s when he was
asked to join the Board of Trustees to help oversee investment of the organization’s assets.
He is still a Trustee and served as the Scholarship Foundation’s Chairman from 2004 to
2010. Over the years, he has seen first hand the life-changing benefits that assistance from
the Foundation has provided to children of our deceased or disabled members. He believes
so strongly in what the Scholarship Foundation does that he and his wife chose to include
the foundation in his estate plan.
Creating a Family Trust
In the 1990s, Thompson and his wife Rosie began to discuss estate planning and decided
to create a family trust using the services of a trust attorney.
25 January 2010
Dear SETP Scholarship Foundation,
My name is Yulya Beschastnova, I am the widow of a distinguished test pilot, Hero of
Russia Beschastnov Alexander. I want to express my appreciation and gratitude for the
support you personally and your association for the financial scholarship assistance for
my son. It is hard to imagine where he learned and how we lived, if not for your attention
and support. Thank you for the opportunity to learn from the best universities in Russia Lomonosov Moscow State University - and gained a better education. After the death of
my husband I stayed alone with my two sons and I’m not able to fulfill the dream of my
son - to study at the university. But with your help, his dream became a reality. Thank you
great and a low bow to you.
Thank you again for your relationship with us, assistance and support.
Sincerely,
Beschastnova Yulya
6 June 2010
Dear SETP Scholarship Foundation:
On May 8, I graduated with honors from Azusa Pacific University. I could not have done
it without your continued support and extraordinary generosity! This year has found me
soloing with our jazz ensemble, leading a devotional group and elected project manager
for a senior project.
Thank you for making this possible.
Stephanie Brohmer
Family trusts have the benefit of allowing you to transfer your estate to your spouse and
then to his or her heirs (e.g. your children) upon his or her death without having to pay
estate taxes.
Thompson and his wife decided that a portion of their estate should go to family and a
portion should go to worthy causes. The SETP Scholarship Foundation is designated by
name in their trust as one of those worthy causes. The SETP Scholarship Foundation will
receive a designated percentage of their estate when Addison and Rosie have both passed on.
“I encourage other members to support the SETP Scholarship Foundation,” Thompson
said. “It’s good that we support each other and it certainly doesn’t cost you much to include
the Scholarship Foundation in your estate plan.”
To find out which charitable giving option best fits your specific situation and to help us
make a difference for families of deceased or disabled SETP members, please contact
Paula S. Smith, telephone 1.661.942.9574 or e-mail setp@setp.org.
SETP FOUNDATION NEWS
The SETP Foundation has been providing sponsorship to high school students to attend
SETP Symposia. This year the Foundation sponsored two students to attend the San Diego
Symposium. Below is a letter we received from one student expressing his gratitude:
Dear SETP Foundation,
I wanted to thank you once again for giving me the opportunity to attend the symposium.
I truly enjoyed the event, and was given a whole new perspective on the Aviation Industry.
The variety of professionals there and the high ranking Navy and Air Force officials was
impressive. The symposium was incredible and I walked away with a greater knowledge
of the tasks and challenges faced by test pilots everyday.
Again, I cannot express my gratitude for being able to attend, and I look forward to staying
in contact with you and the rest of the organization.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Hilliard
This year the SETP Foundation was invited to participate in the Intel International Science
and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), in San Jose, CA, from May 9-14. ISEF is the world’s
largest international pre-college science competition that provides an annual forum for
more than 1,600 high school students from over 50 countries, regions, and territories
to showcase their independent research. The Intel ISEF is the premiere global science
competition for students in grades 9–12.
27 May 2010
Each year over 1,500 student Finalists earn the right to attend the Intel ISEF as a result
of winning an Intel ISEF-affiliated fair at a local, regional, or national level. This year’s
finalists competed for nearly $4 million in awards and prizes and were judged on their
creative ability and scientific thought, as well as the thoroughness, skill, and clarity shown
in their projects.
The SETP Foundation sponsored a special Intel ISEF award that recognized outstanding
achievement in the engineering sciences to inspire youth to careers in aerospace and
incline them to the flight test profession. First award $1,000 (1), Second award $500 (1),
Third award of $300 (1) and Honorable Mention (3). All honorees receive a certificate of
recognition, book and guest invitation to the annual Symposium.
This year’s recipients were:
First Award $1,000 - Joseph Anthony Gerner, 17, George Marshall High School, Falls
Church, Virginia. “Reducing Wing Induced Drag through the Addition of Adaptive Tip
Sails - Part II”
Second Award $500 - Jesse Kane Ellison, 18, Bayfield High School, Bayfield, Colorado
“Next Generation Propulsion: the ALFA markVI”
Third Award of $300 - Megan Lynn Perkins, 15, duPont Manual High School, Louisville,
Kentucky. “Maximizing Hybrid Rocket Motor Efficiency for Evaluating Recycled Fuels”
Honorable Mention:
Alexis Emily Block, 16, Nicolet High School, Glendale, Wisconsin. “Nanoparticle
Optimization of Specific Impulse of a Novel Ionic Engine: A Link to nano FET NEMS/
MEMS Thrusters”
Taylor Mason Hose, 15, Hedgesville High School, Hedgesville, West Virginia. “The Effect
of Winglet Shape on the Induced Drag of an Airplane”
Erika Alden DeBenedictis, 18, Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“Traveling the Interplanetary Superhighway: An Autonomous Spacecraft Navigation
System”
2010 Intel ISEF
SETP Foundation
Special Award Recipients
(l to r) Megan Lynn Perkins, Jesse Kane
Ellison and Joseph Anthony Gerner
NEW MEMBERS AND UPGRADES
The Society would like to welcome the following new Members:
Alsbury, Michael T. (M)
Scaled Composites
Joined 20-Jan-10
Berto, Mario C. (M)
Lt Col, Brazilian AF
Joined 17-Feb-10
Carter, Patrick T. (AM)
Cessna
Joined 21-Apr-10
De Michele, Fabio (PAM)
Capt, Italian AF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Donohue, David R. (AM)
LCDR, USN
Joined 17-Feb-10
Fann, Scott S. (PAM)
Capt, USAF
Joined 16-June-10
Henderson-Tarleton, Jennifer L. (AM)
Boeing
Joined 17-Feb-10
Hoover, Shannon L. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Jacques, Lin C. (AM)
Cessna Aircraft Company
Joined 17-Feb-10
Johnson, Scott G. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Kuhlman, Henry F. (M)
Maj, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Lundy, Chad C. (AM)
The Boeing Co.
Joined 21-Apr-10
Bernardin, Brian D. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Biss, Emily J. (AM)
Boeing
Joined 16-Jun-10
Castilho, Diogo S. (PAM)
Capt, Brazilian AF
Joined 19-May-10
Di Loreto, Gianmarco (PAM)
Capt, Italian AF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Millar, Jeffrey L. (AM)
LT, USN
Joined 17-Feb-10
Tinney, William G. (AM)
Cessna
Joined 21-Apr-10
Souza, Ricardo Lima (AM)
Maj, Brazilian AF
Joined 21-Apr-10
Toda, Hayato (M)
Maj, Brazilian AF
Joined 20-Jan-10
PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS:
Abel, Brandon R. (PAM)
Capt, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Bieze, Raymond G. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Boyce, Erik A. (PAM)
Capt, USMC
Joined 16-Jun-10
Buethe, Scott A. (M)
Gulfstream Aerospace
Joined 16-Jun-10
Carter, Kristopher A. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Crawford, Robert J. (PAM)
SqnLdr, RAAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Davies, Simon G. (PAM)
Flt Lt, RAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Baker, Michael B. (PAM)
Capt, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Bippert, Eric R. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Brunette, Xavier (PAM)
Maj, French Army
Joined 20-Jan-10
Burton, Travis A. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Castilho, Diogo S. (PAM)
Capt, Brazilian AF
Joined 19-May-10
Creech, Nathan A. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Davin, Matthew E. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 16-Jun-10
Deas, Brian T. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
DeWitt, Ryan C. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Donohue, David R. (AM)
LCDR, USN
Joined 17-Feb-10
Evans, Lee S. (PAM)
Lt Cdr, RN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Formoso, Stephen G. (PAM)
Sqn Ldr, RAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Estrugo, Rolf (PAM)
Capt
Joined 20-Jan-10
Fields, Dail T. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Gorsky, Lora M. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 16-Jun-10
Grant, Mitchell P. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 16-Jun-10
Green, Nicholas (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Gropp, Terrell R. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 16-Jun-10
Guilfoyle, Kyle L. (M)
LCDR, USN
Joined 17-Feb-10
Haggard, Stephen L. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 16-Jun-10
Hohner, Gabriel J. (PAM)
LT, US Navy
Joined 17-Mar-10
Howland, Ryan (PAM)
Capt, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Johansen, Bendik M. (PAM)
Capt, RNoAF
Joined 17-Feb-10
Hubley, Joseph J. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Johnson, Kip E. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Jones, Jimmy A. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Kennedy, Jeffrey M. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Kipper, Rory M. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Lee, Terrance J. (AM)
Cessna
Joined 19-May-10
Loustaunau, Brian J. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 16-Jun-10
Mantz, Brock A. (PAM)
Capt, USMC
Joined 16-Jun-10
Martin, Andrew A. (PAM)
Maj, USAf
Joined 16-Jun-10
McCullins, Mark E. (M)
Maj, CAF
Joined 17-Feb-10
Minor, Joseph S. (PAM)
CAPT, USA
Joined 16-Jun-10
Lachs, Shlomi (PAM)
Maj, Israeli AF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Lippitsch, Gerhard (M)
Austro Control GmbH
Joined 17-Feb-10
Machado, Fabian A. (PAM)
Capt, Brazilian AF
Joined 19-May-10
Marten, David H. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Maxwell, Bruce M. (PAM)
Merlin RAMCo Inc.
Joined 20-Jan-10
McKee, Andrew M. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 16-Jun-10
Murphy, Andrew G. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Neubert, Frederic R. (PAM)
Capt, USMC
Joined 20-Jan-10
Paquin, Jason G. (PAM)
Capt, CAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Pinto, Bettega S. (PAM)
Capt, Brazilian AF
Joined 19-May-10
Rein, Donevan A. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Rusanen, Kari P. (PAM)
Capt, Finnish AF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Schiffelbein, Jonathan S. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Silder, Stephen H. (M)
Sikorsky
Joined 21-Apr-10
Stan, Constantin (M)
Diamond Aircraft Ind. - Canada
Joined 16-Jun-10
Tetteroo, Patrick J.P. (PAM)
Capt
Joined 20-Jan-10
Wees, Darren P. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Odom, Robert L. (PAM)
Capt, USAF
Joined 16-Jun-10
Park, Ji Won (PAM)
Maj
Joined 20-Jan-10
Rasmussen, Spencer T. (PAM)
Maj, USAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Ribeiro, Daniel R. (M)
Diamond Aircraft Ind. - Canada
Joined 16-Jun-10
Rusnok, Richard M. (PAM)
USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Shadforth, Scott (PAM)
Capt, USMC
Joined 20-Jan-10
Slager, Jonathan J. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 17-Mar-10
Tabert, Christopher M. (PAM)
LT, USN
Joined 20-Jan-10
Vermeersch, Thomas (AM)
Maj, French AF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Yang, Jaehak (PAM)
Maj, RoKAF
Joined 20-Jan-10
Congratulations to those members who have upgraded their membership!
Domsalla, Matthew R. (M)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 17-Feb-10
Dotter, Jason D. (M)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Filbey, Joshua (M)
LCDR, USN
Upgraded 21-Apr-10
Newton, Dennis (AF)
Upgraded 20-May-09
Poisson, Didier (AF)
DGA-Essais en Vol
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
Quintal, Peter W. (M)
Northrop Grumman
Upgraded 19-May-10
Cassada, Josh A. (AM)
LT, USN
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Comeau, Perry D. (AM)
Maj, CAF
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Contratto, Michael (AF)
Lt Col, USAF
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
Reinhardt, Brent (M)
Maj, USAF
-Reinhardt, Carrie A. (M)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WHO HAVE
UPGRADED THEIR MEMBERSHIP:
Rich, Daniel D. (AM)
SQNLDR, RAAF
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Ringelberg, Wayne M. (AF)
Lt Col (ret), USAF
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Stanko, David J. (M)
Cessna
Upgraded 17-Feb-10
Tobias, Aaron C. (M)
Cessna
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
Uybarreta, Prospero A. (AM)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 17-March-10
THE SOCIETY WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME
OUR NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS:
Flight Test Centre of Excellence
Modern Technology Solutions, Inc.
Advanced Training Systems International, Inc.
Amdal, Eskil (M)
Maj, RNoAF
Upgraded 17-Mar-10
Baldwin, Matthew J. (M)
LCDR, USN
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Berggren, Matthew (AM)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 17-Feb-10
Cochran, Daniel D. (M)
LCDR, USN
Upgraded 17-Feb-10
Creviston, Douglas O. (AM)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Freedman, Jeffrey H. (M)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 17-Mar-10
Jones, Mark H. (M)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 17-Feb-10
Baase, Solomon R. (M)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 21-Apr-10
Belanger, Emmanuel (AM)
Capt, CAF
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Bratt, Richard (M)
MAJ, USA
Upgraded 19-May-10
Costello, Donald (M)
LCDR USN
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
Dowty, Jonathan C. (AM)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
Hutchinson, Karl (AF)
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Kimberlin, Ralph D. (AF)
Consultant
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Ling, Richard J. (M)
Flt Lt, RAF
Upgraded 21-Apr-10
Massaro, Mark A. (M)
Maj, USAF
Upgraded 17-Feb-10
Lewandowski, David (AF)
Cessna
Upgraded 21-Apr-10
Maris, John (AF)
Marinvent Corporation
Upgraded 17-Feb-10
May, Douglas A. (AF)
Cessna
Upgraded 21-Apr-10
Mouser, Adam H. (AM)
CW4, USA
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Ohman, Jonathan (M)
Maj, USMC
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
Nuccio, Jeffrey (AF)
Lt Col, USAFR
FedEx Express
Upgraded 21-Apr-10
Puckett, Steven D. (M)
Maj, USMC
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Scola, Dominic M. (M)
MAJ, USA
Upgraded 17-Feb-10
Tulley, Sean P. (M)
CW4, USA
Upgraded 20-Jan-10
Walsh, Christine (AF)
The Boeing Company
Upgraded 17-Mar-10
Sherwood, Reagh W. (M)
Maj, CAF
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
Walker, William (M)
LT, USCG
Upgraded 17-Mar-10
Weaver, Thomas (M)
LCDR, USN
Upgraded 16-Jun-10
Karnes, Jeffrey A. (AF)
Bombardier Aerospace
Upgraded 21-Apr-10
WHO...WHAT...WHERE
On 9 April 2010 a plaque was dedicated to Don
Cornell at the National Museum at Wright Patterson.
He was honored as a “Pioneering Test pilot in Stealth
Technology”.
NASA announced that SETP Associate Fellow
CAPT Scott Kelly, USN and his crew mates, Russian
cosmonauts Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka,
will be the next trio of International Space Station residents. The expedition to the
International Space Station is scheduled to launch to the station aboard a Russian Soyuz
spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Oct. 7 (Oct. 8 at the launch
site) and arrive on the complex two days later. They will join NASA astronauts Doug
Wheelock and Shannon Walker and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, who have
been aboard the orbiting laboratory since June 18.
A400M, Airbus Military’s new airlifter, takes to the skies.
On 11 December 2009, Chief Test Pilot Military, Edward
“Ed” Strongman and Experimental Test Pilot Ignacio
“Nacho” Lombo (M) in the right seat, made the first flight
of the A400M.
The Society would like to
congratulate Dennis Newton
(AF), for receiving the FAA’s
Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. This honor recognizes
pilots who have contributed to and maintained safe flight
operations for 50 or more consecutive years of piloting aircraft.
Dennis holds Airline Transport Pilot type ratings in six jet and
three turboprop airplanes, and is instructor-rated in single- and
multiengine airplanes and gliders. He is an FAA Designated
Engineering Representative Flight Test Pilot for both small
and transport airplanes, and has worked as a meteorologist and
weather research pilot.
On 29 March 2010, Richard W. Taylor (F) received
the Lifetime Achievement award from Aviation Week
& Space Technology. Small wonder that when Aviation
Week invited industry and government to designate
individuals who may be worth considering for Laureate
awards in various categories, nine luminaries of the
aerospace industry—from the U.S. and Europe—
submitted a joint nomination of Taylor. They cited his
seminal contributions to aviation spanning a career
Richard W. Taylor (center) Editor-in- dating back to 1946, when he joined Boeing after
Chief Anthony L. Velocci, Jr. (left)
and Aviation Week President Tom serving as a pilot for the U.S. Army in the European
theater during World War II.
Henricks (right)
On 16 March 2010 the President of the United States nominated Vice Admiral David
J. Venlet, USN (M) for reappointment to the rank of Vice Admiral and assignment as
Director, Joint Strike Fighter program, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington,
Va. Venlet is currently serving as Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent
River, Md.
MEMBERSHIP NEWS AND UPDATES
2010 SETP Constitutional Change Results
On 14 April 2010 the ballots from the proposed Amendment C, Article V - Termination
and reinstatement of active membership, Section 6 (Expulsion), Proposal to change the
requirement for a unanimous vote of the investigating board to a two-thirds vote in order
to expel a Member of the Society and Amendment CI, Article VII – Officers, Section 2
(How Elected) and Article XII – Amendments, Section 2 (Voting), Proposal to change
the requirement for a letter ballot to allowing for electronic balloting via the internet, for
those who explicitly agree to that option, were tallied. Both amendments passed.
Flight Test Wiki
At last year’s annual symposium it was suggested in the Open Forum that SETP initiate
a “wiki” to facilitate the exchange of flight test information between Society members.
Dan Canin (M) has agreed to chair a committee to establish the wiki and has set up
a prototype wiki online. The Board of Directors would like several highly motivated
individuals who are passionate about the idea of using the internet in this way to join
Dan in establishing this capability. Please contact Dan at daniel.canin@lmco.com if you
would like to help set the foundation of the wiki that could become the most important
component of our Society in the future.
Editor’s Memo: A Little Help Please!
Greetings SETP Members and associates. I’m AL Peterson the SETP
Publications Chairman and I have a favor to ask of all of you. I need your
help in finding, soliciting, and sending in good technical articles, RefleXtions
style articles, photos, and general member news for publication in Cockpit.
Our society members are doing great and fantastic work out there in the world,
but you would never know it based on the lack of technical articles and other
information that get submitted to Cockpit for consideration for publication.
Quite honestly, we struggle every issue to find good technical and RefleXtions
articles to publish, and I know we don’t receive a fraction of the news about
the great things our members are doing. If you know someone who has written
a technical or historical flight test article please encourage them to submit
it. If you know someone who has done some interesting flight test work (past
or present) but hasn’t written an article, encourage them to hit the keyboard
and then send it in. Likewise for sending in news about the great things our
members are doing, if you know something interesting that has happened in the
flight test world please send it in. Good quality and interesting photos should
also be sent in for inclusion in the news section and also for consideration for
the cover of Cockpit. Cockpit is sent to and belongs to everyone in the Society
and in order to keep it useful and relevant technically, journalistically, and
socially we need everyone to actively seek out and send in articles, news, and
photos. Thanks in advance for your support. See you in Anaheim. Cheers, AL
KNOW THE CORPORATE MEMBER
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
the first business jet to be certified by the FAA for Stage 4, the industry’s most stringent noise
standards.
Continuing to Soar
On March 13, 2008, Gulfstream unveiled the Gulfstream G650®, the largest, most
technologically advanced aircraft in the Gulfstream fleet. The G650 offers the longest range,
fastest speed, largest cabin, and the most advanced cockpit. It is capable of traveling 7,000
nautical miles (12,964 km) at 0.85 Mach or 5,000 nautical miles (9,260 km) at 0.90 Mach.
Using an advanced aerodynamic design, the G650 has a maximum operating speed of 0.925
Mach, which will make it the fastest civil aircraft flying. It can climb to a maximum altitude
of 51,000 feet (15,545 m), allowing it to avoid airline-traffic congestion and adverse weather.
On Oct. 5, 2008, Gulfstream announced another addition to its business-jet fleet: the largecabin, mid-range Gulfstream G250. The G250 offers the largest cabin and the longest range
at the fastest speed in the super mid-size class. It is capable of traveling 3,400 nautical miles
(6,297 km) at 0.80 Mach and has a maximum operating speed of 0.85 Mach. It can reach its
41,000-foot (12,497 m) initial cruise altitude in just 20 minutes and can climb to a maximum
altitude of 45,000 feet (13,716 m).
A Continued Commitment to Service
Gulfstream puts as much effort into maintaining its aircraft as it does into manufacturing
them. Toward that end, Gulfstream and General Dynamics Aviation Services each own and
operate six service centers for a total of 12 worldwide. Today, Gulfstream employs more than
9,700 people at seven major locations: Savannah, Ga.; Appleton, Wis.; Dallas; Long Beach,
Calif.; Brunswick, Ga.; London, England and Mexicali, Mexico. With 50 successful years in
the industry, Gulfstream is The World Standard® in business aviation.
The company that evolved into Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. started in the late 1950s when
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Co., a company known for military aircraft production,
developed a marketable business aircraft at its manufacturing facilities in Bethpage, N.Y.
Dubbed the Gulfstream I (GI), the turbo-prop aircraft was named after the Gulf Stream,
the current that flows along the coast of Florida, which was a favored vacationing spot for
Grumman executives.
Gulfstream: A General Dynamics Company – The New Millennium
At the end of the 1990s, General Dynamics purchased Gulfstream. In 2001, it acquired
Galaxy Aerospace and with it, the mid-size Astra SPX and super mid-size Galaxy, which were
later rebranded the G100 and G200, respectively. In 2002, Gulfstream renamed its products,
using Arabic numerals instead of Roman numerals to differentiate its aircraft. At the time,
the company’s heavy-hitting lineup included the ultra long-range G550 and G500, the longrange G400, the mid-range G300 and G200, and the high-speed G100. In 2003, the longrange G450 was introduced, and the large-cabin, mid-range G350 was presented a year later.
In 2004, Gulfstream was awarded the 2003 Collier Trophy for the development of the G550.
The G550 is the first civil aircraft to receive a Type Certificate issued by the FAA that includes
an Enhanced Vision System (EVS) as standard equipment on an aircraft. The aircraft also
contained the first cockpit to incorporate PlaneView®, an integrated avionics suite featuring
four 14-inch (36 cm) liquid crystal displays in landscape format.
A Leader in Innovation
In 2005, Gulfstream became the first business-jet manufacturer to design and develop a means
of reducing the sonic boom caused by an aircraft “breaking” the sound barrier – the Quiet
Spike. The Quiet Spike is a telescopic nose device that softens the effect of the sonic boom
by smoothing the pressure wave created by flying at the speed of sound. In 2006, the 22-year
production run of the G100 ended and the G150 entered service to take its place. The G150 was
WANTED: MEMBER and CORPORATE MEMBER
INFO AND PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep the members up to date on your Individual and Corporate news, events, and
happenings!! The Society is soliciting flight test related news about SETP members and
Corporate members for publication in the WHO...WHAT...WHERE section of COCKPIT
Magazine. If you know of some interesting information about an SETP Member(s) or
Corporate Member, please send it in. If you have some photos to accompany the news, all
the better! All information and photos submitted will be given serious consideration for
publication in COCKPIT Magazine. Flight Test events, awards, promotions, gatherings,
etc should be reported and shared.
To submit news and photos please contact Shawna Mullen at
1-661-942-9574 or
Shawna@setp.org.
SETP Headquarters
P.O. Box 986
Lancaster, CA 93584
NORTHWEST
The Northwest Section is looking for a few good
volunteers to speak at the Aviation High School in
Seattle as part of our new outreach program. As
reported in the last newsletter the school website
address is http://www.avitionhs.org/pub/pub.aspx.
In the mean time Loran Haworth and Kevin Greene
(since several of us are employed by the FAA) are
in discussions with the FAA education coordinator
and SETP on how to establish an educational
outreach partnership between SETP and the FAA.
Thomas Twiggs is working with the Aviation High
Aviation High School Students
School’s science teacher and Robert Stoney with the
humanities teacher to outline requested support. A
future meeting is planned with the school’s teachers to gain a better understanding of the
school’s curriculum and how SETP fits in.
was followed by an opportunity to watch an
actual SOFIA mission being conducted in the
Edwards airspace. SOFIA is a 747 modified
with a telescope to act as an airborne
observatory and is currently undergoing
testing here at Edwards. Everyone was very
impressed with the tour and was appreciative
for the opportunity to see some of the work
NASA does in Aeronautics. After the tour
was complete, a burger burn and beer call
was held at USAF TPS, which provided a
great opportunity for members from China
Lake and Edwards to interact and share
NASA’s Director of Flight Test Operation,
stories of their flight test experiences with
Lawrence Davis describes the LLTV.
some of the students from USAF TPS and
NTPS. Thanks to USAF TPS for providing
their facilities to host this event. Looking forward to the next West Coast event and a
chance to get together again and swap war stories!
WEST COAST
The West Coast Section of SETP had their
inaugural beer call of 2010 on Fri February
26th. The event was graciously hosted by
the National Test Pilot School in Mojave and
was attended by SFTE members as well as
the current class at USAF TPS. Around fifty
people attended the beer call, including an
extremely strong showing from the 416th
FLTS at Edwards AFB. The night started
off with a tour of NTPS’ numerous aircraft
spread out across five hangers including
the Saab Draken and the remarkable glass
cockpit of the Cirrus SR22. NTPS has
37 aircraft in their inventory, many of them with unique flying qualities chosen to
effectively demonstrate flight test theory to the NTPS students. Following the tour,
NTPS Director Sean Roberts gave a short informative brief on NTPS’ history and
capabilities. Many thanks to Greg Lewis for working with the West Coast Section
board members in organizing this event and to all the NTPS staff for helping out with
cooking the burgers on the BBQ. Good food, a few beers and some great discussions
about aircraft and flight test made for a fantastic evening and will hopefully encourage
some of the upcoming TPS graduates to join SETP. The West Coast Section plans to
rotate the beer call between NTPS, NAWC China Lake and Edwards AFB over the next
year to maximize participation by all the test pilots in the area.
The West Coast Section of SETP held a meeting on 30 April at Edwards AFB. The
evening started off with a tour of the NASA Dryden facilities. Many thanks to Lawrence
Davis, Director of Flight Test Operations, and the NASA team for pulling together a
great visit with such short notice. The tour showed members some of the historic past
of Dryden, including a chance to see one of the original Lunar Lander Training Vehicles
(LLTV). A visit to the hanger showed the many support aircraft NASA operates and this
The Society is sad to report that Jesse Jacobs (F) lost his wife, Pat, on 29 June
2010. They just celebrated their 64th Wedding Anniversary on June 20th.
LAST FLIGHTS
The Society is sad to announce the passing of Major
General Fred J. Ascani, USAF (Ret) (HF) on 28
March 2010. He was 92. Ascani was one of the “Men
of Mach 1.”
Fred Ascani was born May 29, 1917 in Beloit,
Wisconsin and grew up in Rockford, Illinois. He
graduated from the United States Military Academy
at West Point in 1941. He earned a Master of Science
degree from the University of Southern California in
1971.
Setting his life’s goal at nine years of age, Fred earned his wings in 1942 and entered
combat. He commanded the 816th Bombardment Squadron, completing 53 missions in
the B-17, including delivery of supplies in German-occupied Slovakia to partisans and
the evacuation of escaping Allied airmen.
He arrived at Wright Field and flight test activities in 1944. In 1947, he assisted Colonel
Albert Boyd, Chief of the Flight Test Division, in the selection of the aircrew that would
make the successful assault on the “sound barrier”.
He arrived at Edwards Air Force Base in 1950, and, as the Director of Experimental Flight
Test and Engineering as well as the first vice commander of the new Air Force Flight Test
Center, he was an active test pilot, flying more than 50 experimental prototype and research
aircraft including the XB-42, X-1, X-4 and XF-92A. In a highlight of his career, he flew an
F-86E at the 1951 National Air Races establishing a new world speed record of 635.686
miles per hour over a 100-kilometer closed course. In 1961, as the system program director
for the XB-70, he directed the development of the Mach 3 bomber prototype.
A 1946 graduate of the Flight Performance School, General Ascani has flown over 5,400
hours. His military decorations include two Distinguished Flying Crosses, five Air Medals
and two Army Commendation Medals, He has been presented with the Thompson and the
MacKay Trophies in 1951, the De La Vaulx Medal, the Croix de Guerre, the Distinguished
Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. He was inducted into the Illinois Aviation Hall of
Fame in 1997, selected as an Eagle by the Flight Test Historical Foundation in 1997 and
by the Gathering of Eagles International organization in 1998 and named to the Aerospace
Walk of Honor in 1999.
Administrative Officer, Safety Officer, and Maintenance Officer. He served in Fighter
Squadron VF-194 and Attack Squadrons VA-94, VA-195 and VA-215, in which he was a
Strike Flight Leader. He tested over 40 types of airplanes and was the chief test pilot for
the Grumman OV-1 “Mohawk” Army airplane. He served on loan to the US Army with the
23rd Special Air Detachment while testing the OV-1 during Vietnam combat and stateside
tests. Bob flew 572 Vietnam combat missions. Bob loved flying, loved the Navy and said,
“I can’t believe I get paid to fly”. His favorite aircraft was the McDonnell Douglas A-4D
“Skyhawk”. Bob was a member of AMVETS and a life member of the National Association
of Naval Aviation, Helldiver Squadron local chapter, in Columbus, Ohio.
He was instrumental in helping to charter the Aviation Bosun’s Mate Association.
-AV8TOR- was Bob’s Ohio License plate vanity tag. Upon his retirement from the Navy,
Bob worked as a Defense Contractor with VSE and E-Systems. His final retirement came
in 1994 when he joined his wife in Zanesville, Ohio, fulltime. Bob was an active volunteer
for the Heart of Ohio Girl Scout Council, Leadership Muskingum and the Zany Follies.
Bob enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He was a life member of the
Masons and a member of the Church of the Natural Way.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 27 years, Jo Taylor Brace of Zanesville, Ohio; son,
Richard L. Brace (Dr. Starrette Galanis) of Frederick, Maryland; daughters, Chris (Michael)
Bauer of Dallas, Texas; Kim Brace Kane (Thomas L. West, Jr.) of Zanesville, Ohio; Kathi
(Ricky L.) Gray of Richmond, Virginia; Shannon Taylor of Rockford, Illinois; Audra
(David) Funk of New Albany, Ohio; 8 grandchildren, his half-sister, Judy (Robert) Welch
of Mexico and special family friend, Patricia Wilkinson of Zanesville, Ohio. In addition
to his parents, he was preceded in death by his step-mother Vera Wheeling Brace; his very
special mother-in-law, Vivian Lindberg and special family friend, Thomas Wilkinson.
Colonel Mervin Leroy Evenson, USAF (Ret) (F), 80,
passed away on 9 June 2010. Merv was born on 19
February 1929 in Minot, N.D. Evenson was the first
military test pilot to fly the F-4C Phantom. He tested
the SR-71 and, after retiring from the US Air Force,
tested the B-1A. As Rockwell International’s Chief
Test Pilot, he flew the first flight of the B-1B aircraft
in October 1984 and was the first pilot to fly more than
1,000 hours in that aircraft.
Evenson served in Korea and Vietnam, flying over
150 combat missions and testing a new laser guided bomb. He graduated from the USAF
Test Pilot School in 1959. His first flight as a test pilot was in a U-2 aircraft at Edwards
Air Force Base.
His wife of 61 years, Catherine Hanretta Ascani, died in 2003. He leaves eight children,
John of Littleton, Colo., Bill of Alexandria, Va., Carole Jo McDaniel of Schaumburg, Ill.,
Susan of Dayton, Ohio, Stephen of Murrieta, Calif., Clare of Pittsburgh, Betsy Henderson
of Austin, and Dave of Valrico, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
At Edwards, Evenson continued testing the U-2 and later served as Project Pilot for the
F-4C. He also flew supersonic flight test missions in the YF-12/SR-71 which included firing
a missile at design speed and altitude and was the project pilot on the CL-901 demonstration
fighter aircraft and chief of the Flight Test Division of SR-71 testing. After retiring from
the Air Force in 1976, he became an experimental test pilot for Rockwell on the B-1.
Capt. Robert (Bob) Lawrence Brace, USN (Ret.) (AM), 80, passed away Friday, March
28, 2008, in Phoenix, AZ. Bob was born October 18, 1927, in Great Falls, Montana, the only
child of the late Russell Lyle Brace and Bessie Violet Peacock Brace. Bob graduated from
Purdue University, where he excelled in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering, earning
dual degrees and contributing to a design used aboard the USS Nautilus. Bob continued his
advanced schooling with several master’s degrees and completed Navy Test Pilot School
at NAS Patuxent River, MD. His many positions of leadership in air squadrons included:
Evenson wanted to become a test pilot even before he joined the Air Force. He says
watching movies of World War II and the early flight testing escapades excited him. He
began to pursue the dream of becoming a test pilot patiently, and his efforts paid off. Today,
Evenson is said to have more flight time at Mach 3 than any other test pilot in the world.
Evenson’s decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying
Cross, Royal Vietnam Gallantry Cross, Vietnam and Korean Service Medals and 11 Air
Medals. He logged 600 hours piloting the U-2. He also flew the F-102 Supersonic Jet
Interceptor, the F-4E, RF-4 and F-104 bringing his total flight time to 8,000 hours.
Merv is survived by Frances, his wife of 50 years; children David Evenson (Dawn), Kristen
Evenson and Erik Evenson (Marlena) and eight grandchildren.
Thomas P. Frost (F), 87, passed away on 28 May
2010. Tom was born on 23 February 1923 in Heacham,
Norfolk, England. He was a much loved Flying Legend
and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
After his graduation from King Edward VII Prep
School in 1939, Frost attended the RAF Aircraft
Apprentices School.
While serving in the Middle East as an engine fitter,
he met pilot Dicky Martin, who persuaded Frost to get
involved in flying. He was accepted for flight training in 1943 in South Rhodesia. After
flight training, he had two years of squadron service in various military aircraft, and was
then sent to Pilot Instructors School in 1947. After pilot instructor training, he served four
years in the RAF as a flying instructor and instrument rating examiner and in 1952 was
selected to attend the Empire Test Pilot School. Upon graduating he spent two years as
an RAF test pilot at Boscombe down where he preformed the introduction testing of the
Valiant and Vulcan Bombers.
Frost left the RAF in 1955 to become the Chief Test Pilot at Armstrong, Siddeley, Coventry.
During that time he conducted engine tests flying the Jet Provost, Hunter, Javelin, Gannet
and Gnat among others. In 1959 he became Chief Test Pilot of Bristol Siddley Engines/
Rolls Royce and conducted flight test with such aircraft as the Vulcan with TSR2 engine,
Vulcan with Concorde engine, Valiant with Pegasus v/stol engine, Macchi 326 and HS125
prototype. Helicopters (various).
In 1967 Tom performed the First Kestrel flight final testing for 20 hours and inherited VC10
with RB211 engine, Phantom and Mirage 111 for mach2 Concorde nozzle trials. In 1968
the Harrier XV738 became his baby. He flew 162 hours of flight test sorties culminating
in him returning the aircraft to Boscombe Down on 31 Jan. 1972.
Frost retired from Rolls Royce in late 1972 and started a new career in executive jets,
where he flew for 16 years with his last flight 12 Feb 1988.
Frost’s decorations include Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Fellow Royal
Aeronautical Society and the Derry and Richards Medal G.A.P.A.N.
On 7 June 2010, Frederick W. Griffith (AF) passed
on, taking his final flight after a lengthy illness. He
was born on October 30, 1930 in Baltimore, MD. He
joined SETP in 1970 and upgraded to Associate Fellow
in 1993. Fred’s company, Griffith Enterprises, was
also a Corporate Member of SETP. Fred participated
in the SETP Oral History program last September by
sharing his career highlights on video tape. He served
as Northwest Section Secretary for two years, and also
wrote an article for the “Pilots Handbook for Critical
and Exploratory Flight Testing” concerning home built
experimental first flights and emergency parachute use. Fred was an expert on parachutes, as
he served as a parachute test jumper on the Department of Defense Team from 1952-1955.
Fred served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force for 7 years, and was later involved as
a project test pilot on the CV-580, C-131H, NC131H, RCAF CC-109, Falcon 20, and
Jetstream 31 among others. Fred spent 6 years developing and manufacturing composite
propellers that were major advancements for experimental, racing and light aircraft while
President and test pilot for the Great American Propeller Company. Fred served as a
FAA (DER) test pilot for 20 years, testing and re-certifying many general aviation and
agricultural aircraft modified to lower stall speeds, improving controllability/handling
qualities and significant reductions in Vmca on many twin engine aircraft. Fred’s signature
data submission in many flight test reports to the FAA, was a photograph of the airspeed
indicator taken with a hand held camera while the airplane reached Vdf. He performed
first flights on 14 new experimental aircraft, and conducted experimental/developmental
testing, including testing of composite propellers for many racing and light aircraft. Fred
was a licensed pilot for 63 years and flight tested many different types of aircraft, from
transports to small, purely experimentals. He just completed an experimental flight test last
year. This milestone is significant because it marks Fred’s 44th year of continuous flight
test. He was 78 and still active in expanding the envelope. In 2005 Fred was awarded the
Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” Award in appreciation of his dedicated service, technical
expertise, professionalism, and many outstanding contributions that further the cause of
aviation safety. This is a very uncommon honor from the FAA and to qualify one must
still be on active flight status, have been flying continuously for 50 years or more and
have not had any accidents or incidents.
Fred is survived by his wife Patty and 5 children, several of whom have inherited his
great love of flying. Remembrances in Fred’s name can be made to the National Wildlife
Federation … he always took care of his fellow aviators, the wild birds.
William R. “Bob” Laidlaw (F), passed away on 2 April 2010
at the age of 83. Bob was born on 12 May 1926, in Toronto,
Ontario, Canada.
Bob received his B.S. degree in Aeronautical Engineering from
the University of Toronto in 1950, followed by his Master’s
and PhD in Aero Engineering from M.I.T in 1951 and 1954.
Bob has been active in aircraft testing since 1947 when he
joined de Havilland Aircraft of Canada following service in the
RCAF during WWII as a Mosquito pilot. As a test pilot for de
Havilland his projects included early flight testing of the DHC-2 Beaver and production
testing of the DHC-1 Chipmunk and the modified Mosquito MkXVI. Bob joined the
Canadian National Research Council for a short stint in 1950, performing wing flow tests
on a P-51D, and then rejoined de Havilland to perform all original flight tests, including
first flight of the DHC-3 Otter. This was followed by four years at M.I.T, where besides
obtaining his PhD, he became a project leader in the Aeroelastic and Structures Research
Laboratory. In 1954 Bob began a long association with North American Aviation, becoming
chief of the Columbus Division’s Dynamics Section and pioneering in the development
of advanced methods of flight flutter testing high performance aircraft. He personally
applied these techniques as a test pilot on the FJ-4 and there techniques were later applied
on the A3J-1 aircraft. In 1960 he moved to California where he participated in the terrain
following radar and inertial navigation system development in support of NAA Autonetics
Division. He rose to the position of Vice President for Research and Engineering at the
NAA, Los Angeles Division, where he was responsible for all technical and flight test
activities. He conducted test flying on production T-39 Sabreliners, developmental flight
testing of the “Hover Buggy” VTOL research vehicle and flight development of nuclear
radiation detection devices. In 1966 Bob was asked to become the Special Assistant tot
the Director, DDR&E, as advisor and assistant for F-111 matters. He did extensive flight
testing in the areas of F-111 performance, propulsion and stability and control. Leaving
DoD, he formed Flight Systems, Incorporated in 1968, and as President, guided that
company years of growth, specializing in the areas of weapon system analyses, systems
development, and flight testing for both government and private industry.
AH-1, HH-1, and T-39. Fred was also designated the Land Range Chief Test Engineer
supporting the Range Department at China Lake, approving all test plans performed on
China Lake Land Ranges for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, various contractors, and
foreign military RDT&E projects.
Bob is the author of many technical papers and articles in the field of flutter and vibration
testing, and holds a patent for his own aircraft flutter testing device. He joined the
Society in 1964 and served as SETP President in 1975/76. Bob is the recipient of the
1978 J. H. Doolittle Award. Other honors and awards include the British Association for
the Advancement of Science Medal and the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian
Service Medal.
Fred served on the SETP Membership Committee from 1989 to 2000.
Frederick C. Lentz Jr. (AF), passed away on 2 November 2009.
He was 67. Fred was born in Chicago, IL., on Sept. 28, 1942,
to Frederick Charles Lentz Sr. and Elvira Mercedes Rashinski
(Weir) Lentz Paulick. At the age of two, the family relocated to
Salem, Wis., where he was raised and spent his childhood years.
After graduating from Salem Central High School in 1960, he
attended one year at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee,
before entering the United States Naval Academy, graduating
in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Fred joined
the U.S. Navy in 1965, and completed Navy Flight Training,
receiving his U.S. Navy “Wings of Gold” and being designated a Naval Aviator in 1967.
Fred had a stalwart military career, spanning 25 years. He completed 4,420 flight hours,
many of which were as a test pilot in 50 different types of aircraft. He completed 720
aircraft carrier landings and an additional 666 aircraft carrier “touch and goes” as a test pilot.
During the Vietnam War, Fred made two combat deployments as an A-7 pilot in VA-82
and he completed 187 combat missions, for which he received numerous medals. Twice
in that period, he was forced to eject at sea, but following each, he immediately returned
to continue his duty.
Following his combat tour, Fred served as a jet flight instructor at the Navy Training
Squadron, VT-23, completed a second fleet squadron tour as an A-7 pilot in VA-46, and
graduated from the Empire Test Pilot School in Boscombe Down, England, in 1976,
achieving designation as a Test Pilot. He started his RDT&E duty in January 1977 at
Patuxent River, MD., as Head, Carrier Suitability at the Strike Directorate flying A-7 and
A-4 projects. In January 1979, Fred became the Strike Directorate Operations Officer. He
returned to the operational Navy in August 1979 through 1986, and in 1986, he received
orders to the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, to become the Center’s Chief Test Pilot
from May 1986 through June 1990, flying A-7, A-4, and F/A-18 projects. He always told
the story of how excited he was when he heard he’d be checked out in the F/A-18.
He retired from Naval Service as a Navy Commander in June 1990, and was immediately
hired on with the defense contractor, CTA Corporation in Ridgecrest as a Senior Engineer
for F/A-18 Foreign Military Sales until March of 1991, when he began his Civil Service
career working for the Naval Air Warfare Center, China Lake F/A-18 Weapons Systems
Support Activity (WSSA). Fred held various lead positions at the F/A-18 Program Office,
including the Director of Foreign Military Sales for F/A-18 and Model Chief Engineer
for the F/A-18A/B and F/A-18C/D. In 1995, Fred was chosen as the first Chief Test
Engineer (CTE) at China Lake and a Division Head for 70 test engineers in the Test and
Evaluation Engineering Department under the Naval Air Systems Command, approving
all tests performed on test squadron aircraft including the F/A-18A/B/C/D/E/F, AV-8B,
Fred was a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend. He loved sports, parties, and
people. He was an avid outdoors man, hunter, woodworker, golfer, and fisherman. He
was a robust, caring, special person, and he will never be forgotten.
Fred is survived by his wife of nine years, Deena Marie Lentz of Reno, Nev.; son,
Commander Frederick C. Lentz III and wife, Nadine of Virginia Beach, Va.; daughter,
Deborah Deanne Servantez and husband, Steve of San Diego; three brothers, John Lentz
and wife, Laura of The Woodlands, Texas; Terry Lentz and wife, Joella of Big Rock, Ill.;
Michael Lentz, last known to be living in Trevor, Wis.; grandchildren, Alyssa, Adam, Alex,
Elsa, and Abbey; step-grandchildren, Jared and Marina, and many nephews, nieces, and
cousins. Fred also left behind so many special friends and family who knew, loved and
accepted him throughout his life, and whom he loved so very much.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frederick Charles Lentz Sr. and Elvira Mercedes
Rashinski (Weir) Lentz Paulick; and his special grandmother, Laura Leseberg, “Gomma.”
Raymond L. McPherson (F), passed away on
14 January 2010 at the age of 89. Ray was born 8
November 1920, in Ontario, Oregon and grew up in
the Pacific Northwest. He graduated from Benson
Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR in 1938,
majoring in Aviation
He started his career as a pilot by enlisting as an
aviation cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps in November
1941, in Class 42E. He graduated from flying school
in 1942 and remained at Williams Field in Arizona
for two years as an instructor pilot. At that time Williams Field was a twin engine flying
school, where Ray logged a majority of his flying time in multi-engine aircraft, including
the AT-9 and P-38.
He accumulated enough time to qualify as a B-29 pilot, so he transferred to the 20th Air
Force, 58th Wing, and flew 33 missions out of India, China and Tinian in the Marianas
Islands. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster and
the Air Medal with two oak clusters.
After the war, Ray returned to school and earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering,
Aeronautical Option, at Oregon State University. He graduated in 1948, and was employed
by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) which later became the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He was an Aeronautical Research
Pilot flying Air Force and Navy aircraft, including jets, at Ames Aeronautical Laboratory
at Moffett Field, California.
Ray left NACA in 1951 and joined Boeing as an Engineering test pilot on the B-47 program
in Wichita, KS.
In 1954 Ray was transferred to Seattle, WA to participate in the B-52 flight test program.
He was the project Pilot on the XB-47D program. Ray was also the Project Pilot on the
KC-135 and participated in the 707 AWACS flight test program.
The B-52 program transferred to Wichita, Kansas, in 1956 and in 1958 Ray returned to
Wichita as Chief of Flight Test for six years and one year as B-52 Development Manager.
He made the first flight on the B-52G on 28 October 1958.
Ray returned to Seattle in 1965 and participated in the development and FAA flight
certification flying of the 707, 727, 737, and 747 airplanes.
He also found time to become the Project Pilot on the YQM94A Compass Cope. It was
remotely piloted vehicle and was flown from the south lake bed at Edwards AFB. Its first
flight was July 28, 1973.
Ray was also assigned to the YC-14 program in 1972 as Project Pilot. The first flight of
the YC-14 was made at Boeing Field on 9 August 1976, and after approximately three
months the program was transferred to Edwards AFB. After a year of flight testing YC14, the program was cancelled.
Because of Boeing’s 60 years age limit on their pilots, Ray had to quit flying on 8 November
1980. By that time he had logged 14,400 flight hours.
Ray received the Ray E. Tenhoff Award in 1977 for his presentation on the YC-14. He was
selected in 1981 for the Chanute Flight Award by the American Institute of Aeronautics
and Astronautics.
Ray is survived by his two daughters, Marilyn and Teeter, who still live in Seattle. His
son, Eric, died in 2008. His best friend, Norma Burt, still lives in Scottsdale, AZ. He also
has two grandsons, Bryan and Casey.
Captain Goro Okawa (M) passed away on Mar. 8, 2005 at
age 86. He is survived by his wife Momoe.
Goro was born in Mito city, Japan on 7 March 1919. He
attended Imperial Japanese Army Academy, and became a
pilot. During World War II, he served as a test pilot and an
instructor pilot. In 1943 he was involved in developing the
towing gliders operations. When the World War II ended in
1945, Major Okawa was discharged from military service.
In 1953 he joined JAL and later became a captain of DC-4,
DC-6B, DC-7C, DC-8 and B-747. From 1962 to 1964, he
was stationed in Copenhagen, Denmark as the chief of station
crew. From 1968 to 1975, he was the first director of the
flight test office in the Operation Engineering Department.
He accepted many DC-8s from Douglas Aircraft Company.
In 1971 he was the chief acceptance pilot of the first B-747 for JAL.
He joined SETP in 1970 (second Japanese SETP member). In 1970 he was assigned as
a SAE S-7 committee member. In March 1973, he received an Aviation Contribution
Award by Minister of Transport. In October 1976, he received an JAL Presidential Award
of 10,000 flying hours as JAL captain.
In March 1979 he retired from JAL. After his retirement he was heavily involved in
diffusion of the stick martial art (one of military arts) as a high rank instructor. Later he
was elected as the first president of the Association of Stick Martial Arts.
Paul Rudolf (Rudy) Opitz (HF), age 99 of Stratford, passed
away on May 1, 2010 at St. Vincent Hospital, Bridgeport.
He was the beloved husband of Hanna Boljahn Opitz for
61 years. He was born on August 9, 1910 in the town of
Landeshut, in Silesia Germany.
He started his love for flying by joining a local flying club
and teaching himself how to fly in a homebuilt glider. After
receiving formal instruction in 1932, he entered and placed
in several gliding competitions.
Between 1941 and 1945, he acted as chief military test pilot
for the Me-163A and Me-163B rocket powered interceptor
aircraft. He made the first powered flight of the Me-163B,
the only rocket powered interceptor aircraft ever to achieve
operational status. The Me-163 Komet was a tailless rocket powered interceptor and was
the fastest aircraft to see combat in World World II, achieving a top speed of well over 600
MPH in level flight. At the end of World War II, he was recruited by the U.S. Government,
ultimately coming to the U.S. to work at Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a part of
operation Paperclip, the U.S. government operation that brought Dr. Wernher von Braun,
Dr. Anselm Franz, and other noted German Scientists to the U.S.A.
He became a U.S. Citizen in 1955 and in 1956, he left Wright Patterson to be a test pilot
at the newly formed turbine division of Lycoming Co. in Stratford, which was formed
by fellow paperclip scientist Dr. Franz. At Lycoming, he worked as Chief of Flight
Test Operations supporting the development of gas turbine engines for helicopters and
aircraft until his retirement. He also served as an FAA pilot examiner for glider private,
commercial, and flight-instructor ratings for over three decades. He loved flying sailplanes
and volunteered his time providing thousands of hours of flight instruction as an instructor
with Nutmeg Soaring Association, a glider flying club.
He was a guest speaker at the National Air and Space Museum and at the USAF Museum
on numerous occasions. He periodically was asked to speak at local civic organizations
and local chapters of the Experimental Aircraft Association and appeared on the television
documentary series Wings of the Luftwaffe.
He was a member of the Soaring Society of Dayton, Nutmeg Soaring Association, Soaring
Society of America, Quite Birdman Hartford Hangar, International Order of Characters
and The Society of Experimental Test Pilots. He was awarded the New England Soaring
Council Flight Instructor in 1982, Honorary Fellow in The Society of Experimental Test
Pilots in 1984, Aero Club of New England Connecticut State Award 2007. He was named
to the National Soaring Hall of Fame at Elmira, N.Y. in 1994 and FAA Instructor of the
Year (New England).
Survivors, in addition to his wife, Hanna, include his two sons, Martin Opitz, and Michael
Opitz and his wife, Nancy; along with his cherished grandson, Michael Anthony Opitz.
He is also survived by several nieces and nephews in Germany. He was predeceased by
three brothers and one sister. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory
to Macular Degeneration Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 531313, Henderson, NV 89053 or
Nutmeg Soaring Association (ref: youth scholarship fund / Rudy Opitz), P.O. Box 1179,
Middlebury, CT 06762. To send condolences to the family, please visitwww.riverviewfh.
com.
VADM John K. “Jack” Ready, USN (Ret) (F), 70, died at
home on January 15, 2010 in Conway, MI. Jack is survived
by his wife, Mary, his children Jennifer (Kelly) of Oak
Hill, VA, and John (Dorothy) of Centreville, VA, and five
grandchildren. He also leaves a brother, Donald (Rose)
of North Quincy, Massachusetts, a sister, Jean Moore, of
Centerville, Massachusetts, and several nieces and nephews.
He was born in Boston, MA and graduated from Boston
University in 1961, earning a B.S. in Aeronautical
Engineering. He then entered the US Navy and completed
Office Candidate School and U.S. Navy flight training at
Pensacola, Florida. He served 30 years in the US Navy,
during which he was assigned the USS Enterprise, USS
America, and USS John F. Kennedy. He graduated from
the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and served as chief project test pilot with the Naval Air
Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland, where he was later assigned as Commanding
Officer of the Test Center. He also graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons “Top Gun”
School, and later returned to “Top Gun” as Commanding Officer. After commanding fighter
squadrons and air wings, He was given command of the fleet oiler, USS Ashtabula. He
was later assigned as Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier, USS Saratoga.
During his career, he accumulated over 6800 hours flying 84 different types of aircraft,
with over 1100 arrested carrier landings. In 1967, he was elected to membership in the
Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and in 2003 was elevated to the level of Fellow.
During his naval career, he also earned an MBA from Auburn University. His last
assignment with the Navy was Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic Fleet, serving in
this capacity during the first Gulf War.
Upon retirement from the Navy in 1991 with the rank of Vice Admiral, he joined Lockheed
Martin Aeronautics Company. In 1993, he was appointed Director, Navy Programs and,
later, he was also appointed Director, Joint Strike Fighter Program, providing liaison for
customer-related activity in the Washington, D.C. area. He retired from Lockheed Martin
in 2003, but continued to serve as a consultant on the Joint Strike Fighter Program until
his death.
He moved to Conway, MI in 2004, where he pursued his interest in flying and was active
in Young Eagles, a national program to interest young people in general aviation, and
Wings of Mercy, also a national program to provide free flights to medical care facilities
to those unable to afford commercial airfare. He participated in a special lecture series at
North Central Michigan College discussing naval aviation and leadership, and was often
called upon to speak before civic and military groups in the area.
Memorial donations may be made to Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, 1300 West
Conway Road, Harbor Springs, Michigan 49740, where Jack served on the Board of
Directors.
Dannie D. Slone (M), passed away on September 28, 2009
just after his 67th birthday. Dannie received his private pilot
certificate at age 17. During the Viet Nam war, he served two
tours on aircraft carriers Constellation and Coral Sea where
he was a plane captain and mechanic; then used his military
service and the GI Bill to earn an aeronautical engineering
degree and multi-engine airplane ratings that furthered his
flying career.
He accepted his first engineering position at McDonnell
Douglas, and then worked as a flight instructor and line
pilot flying deHavilland Heron Commuter airliners. Later
he became a Fixed Base Operation’s Manager and co-pilot
on DC-3’s for weather modifications. He then joined the
Ted Smith Aerostar Company as a Test Pilot for the Aerostar
series of airplanes in California and Florida. In 1983 he was hired by the Federal Aviation
Administration as a Flight Test Pilot in Aircraft Certification where he served until his
passing.
Dannie graduated from civilian test pilot schools at the University of Tennessee Space
Institute and National Test Pilot School. He was a Certified Flight Instructor and held
types ratings the Douglas DC-3; Douglas DC-9; Fairchild Metro; Gulfstream G-II; and
Cessna Citation series, Learjet series and Dassault Falcon series of business jets. During
his 26 years of public service, Dannie contributed to initial development and certification
of various safety enhancements in aircraft avionics systems such as Flight Management,
Autopilots, Windshear Detection, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning, Traffic Alert
and Collision Avoidance (TCAS), and advanced Air Data Computers in support of initial
Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum qualifications. Dannie also flew FAA Flight Tests
in the Peoples Republic of China. He logged thousands of hours flying various types of
small and large general aviation and transport category airplanes; with reciprocating,
turboprop and jet engines.
For the past fifteen years Dannie also served as the FAA Los Angeles Aircraft Certification
Office Flight Safety Officer and Flight Program Coordinator, responsible for maintaining
the currency, proficiency and safety of all FAA Flight Test Pilots and Flight Test Engineers.
As Dannie often has said, no other job would have offered him the opportunity to have
such a profound effect on aviation safety. His career concluded during the safest period
in US aviation history. Clearly, his contributions have had a significant and continuing
effect on global aviation and aviation safety.
Dannie is survived by his wife of 41 years, Diana and two sons: Trevor and Devlin.
James F. Stevenson (AF), 91, passed away on 12 June 2010
at home with his family at his side.
Jim was born November 19, 1918 in Canon City, Colorado and
grew up in Glendale, Calif. He served with the U.S. Marine
Corps Reserves from 1936-1940 and during WWII with the
U.S. Navy from 1941-1945.
His aviation career began in 1937 as a copilot/mechanic on
a Ford Trimotor. He first soloed in Jan. 1939 in a 50 h.p.
Porterfield, then on to Pensacola earning his Navy wings in
1941.
He served as an instrument flying instructor and test pilot at Corpus Christi and flew a
4-engine patrol and transport flying boat for the balance of WWII serving in the Caribbean,
European and Pacific Theaters. He was honorably discharged as a Lt. Commander in 1945.
Jim earned his ATP in a twin Cessna in 1947 and a MARS flying boat in 1948, becoming
rated in twelve different aircraft. He flew for TWA and United Airlines on DC-3s and
DC-4s until 1949. He left the airlines to become Chief Pilot for Union Oil Co. flying a
Douglas B-23 where he made the first coast to coast non-stop corporate airplane flight in
March 1953 in 8:51 hrs. He was Chief Pilot for Walt Disney 1963-1969 on the G-1. He left
after Disney’s death to fly a new Gulfstream Jet worldwide for Ambassador College until
1974. He was a Lear Jet pilot for Clay Lacy until 1975 when Occidental Petroleum hired
him as Chief Pilot to fly a Gulfstream Jet, a Jetstar and Boeing 727 until his retirement
in 1985. Jim built a formula one pylon racing airplane, competing successfully at Reno,
Mojave, and Point Mugu from 1970-1976. In his mid 70s, Jim was flying his Mooney as
a deputy sheriff for Santa Barbara County Aero Squadron and as an Aircraft Commander
for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Jim flew over 100 types of aircraft including all the WWII
Navy fighters during WWII and the Giant Martin Mars; he had over 40 trips behind the
Iron Curtain during the Cold War. His total flying time was over 27,700 hrs; 7500 hrs in
jets and 7500 hrs in tail draggers. He flew many notables such as Ronald Reagan, Richard
Nixon, Armand Hammer, Walt Disney, The King of Belgium, Shah of Iran, Prince Charles
and Princess Dianna. Jim had been a QB since 1952. He also loved sailing multi-hull
sailboats. He moved to Sterling in 2006 to live with his sons and daughter-in-law.
He is survived by his sons, Paul and Scott Stevenson; daughter-in-law Laurie Stevenson
all of Sterling; daughter, Teresa Clifton of Olachua, Fl. and step-sons, Ron and Lyle
Robertson both of Ocala, FL.
The Society is sad to report that David J. Stock (M), 46, died
on 14 November 2009 in an aircraft accident while flying the
English Electric Lightning during the Bredasdorp air show.
Dave was Deputy Head Boy at La Salle College at Roodeport
where he was also Captain of the athletics team and played
First 15 rugby. Dave was a model aircraft enthusiast and loved
windsurfing and triathlons.
Dave’s deep passion for aviation and aerospace lead him to
joining the SAAF in 1984, gaining his wings in 1986. He
completed the Impala OCU 1987, Cheetah OCU and Mirage
F1AZ OCU in 1990. Dave was selected for the test pilot
course and attended the National Test Pilot Course in the
USA 1991/2 and Advanced Systems Testing Course at the International Test Pilot School
at Cranfield, England in 1993.
Dave qualified as an Experimental Test Pilot (FAA, CAA), Aero Systems Flight Test
Specialist (FAA, CAA) and a rated Test Pilot Class 1 and Test Pilot Instructor. Dave’s final
position before leaving the SAAF was Senior Test Pilot (fixed wing) at TFDC Overberg.
After leaving the SAAF, Dave got his ALTP and flew for SA Express on the DH8 as P1,
later joining South African Airways where he converted onto the Boeing 737 and 747
series whilst holding the position of Test Pilot Manager, SAA. Dave took leave of absence
from SAA as a consultant test pilot with BAE Systems on the Hawk project, returning to
fly the 747-400 converting from P2 to P1 on type.
Dave was Aviation Safety Officer at Thunder City, and Director of Certification with the
Certification and Qualification Company of SA.
Stock was an experienced pilot who had completed close to 16 000 flying hours and had
taken part in more than 100 air shows. In 2005, he set the South African speed and height
record at the Ysterplaat air show by climbing up to 9,000m in the Lightning in only 1min
43sec.
Dave is survived by his sons Gareth, Gregory, Michael and Mark.
William Paul Thayer (F), 90, died 6 May 2010 in his home
surrounded by loving family. Thayer was born on November
23, 1919 in Henryetta, Oklahoma.
Paul worked in the oil fields as a young man and was a
Phi Gamma Delta at the University of Kansas. In 1941,
he discovered his passion for flying. Paul enlisted in the
Navy’s Aviation Cadet Program. He graduated number one
in his class and received his wings and ensign’s commission
in March 1942. Paul began his service in WWII during
the North African Invasion. His combat awards include:
3 Distinguished Flying crosses, 10 Air Medals and 2
Presidential Unit Citations. By the end of the war, when he
was 25, he was a combat ace with one of the finest flying
records in the Navy. In peacetime, Paul continued his love for flying as a co-pilot for
TWA where he met his wife, Margery, a hostess for the airline. They married on February
14, 1947 in San Francisco, California. As a commercial pilot, Paul was able to stay in
the air but missed the action. He credits Margery for encouraging him to pursue a much
more adventurous path. Paul became a test pilot, flying experimental aircraft for Chance
Vought and Northrop. He was the first pilot to break the sound barrier in a Navy production
fighter - the XF7U-1 (1949) and to use the ejection seat when his XF7U-1 (1949) caught
fire in flight. Other first’s include: first pilot to demonstrate all structural and high Mach
Number (MN) limitations of the XF6U-1. (1950), first pilot to demonstrate all structural
and high MN limitations of the XF-89 (1951), first pilot to have barrel-rolled a Boeing 737,
first pilot to have flown the F-15, F-16, F-18, F-20 and the B-1B in 1983 while serving as
Deputy Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan.
Paul survived seven aircraft crashes where the aircraft was completely destroyed – four as
a Navy fighter pilot and three as an experimental test pilot. His rise through the executive
ranks of Chance Vought started in 1951 as chief of flight test and manager for sales and
service. In 1961 when Ling-Temco-Electronics merged with Chance Vought to become
Ling-Temco-Vought, Inc., Thayer became president of Chance Vought Aircraft and a
director of LTV. Four years later, when the company was reorganized, Thayer was named
president of LTV Aerospace Corporation, the successor to Chance Vought. Under his
leadership, the aviation company’s sales grew four-fold from $195 million to $800 million
annually. In 1970, Thayer was elected Chairman and CEO of the LTV Corporation, which
was in the midst of a major financial crisis. Within two years, Thayer brought the company’s
operations back into the black and by 1974; LTV was reporting record sales and earnings.
Among his many civic accomplishments and honors, he was Chairman of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States, National Exploring Chairman of the Boy Scouts of
America and Chairman of the National Corporate Advisory Board of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial Fund. Paul served on the Dallas Citizens council, the board of trustees of the
Greater Dallas/Ft Worth Chapter of the Leukemia Society of America and the board of
governors for Junior Achievement.
He received the distinguished Horatio Alger Award, which honors Americans who have
risen to positions of leadership in business and who have promoted the American way
of free enterprise. He was awarded the J.H. Doolittle Award, was presented the City of
Hope’s Aerospace Man of the Year Research Fellowship Award. In recognition of his active
interest and leadership in the Boy Scouts of America, he was honored with the Scout’s
Silver Antelope and the William H. Spurgeon III awards. In 1994, he was inducted into
the Navy Experimental Test Pilots Hall of Fame.
At age 73, Paul, with friend Byrum Teekell, flew around the world in a Cessna 414 in
63 days. Their cargo was two sets of golf clubs. In 1996, Paul with three other Learjet
captains established a new around the world speed record for Learjet category aircraft:
approximately 23,500 miles in 49 hours, 21 minutes and 42 seconds which includes 8 fuel
stops and averaging 467.3 mph.
He lived life to the fullest. He loved flying, the Corsair, Chance Vought, LTV, the Vought
Survivors and Retirees, the Conquistadores, the Golden Eagles, any golf course (especially
Brook Hollow Golf Club), his country, his loyal friends, his daughter, Brynn, his son-inlaw, David and his wife of 63 years, Margery.
Charles ( Chuck ) Tucker (F), was born in Philadelphia,
PA, on Dec. 23 1919 and entered in to eternal rest on April
26 2010 in San Jose, CA, of natural causes, at the age of 90.
Chuck’s passion for aviation began in 1938 when he joined
the Civilian Pilot Training Program. His storied aviation
career spanned 5 decades. He joined Maj. General Claire
L. Chennault and the Flying Tigers during WWII as a P-40
fighter pilot and scored 4 victories in the China Theatre.
After returning in 1943 he became a test pilot with the Air
Force. In 1946 he separated from the service to pursue flying
experimental tests as assistant chief of Northrop’s Missiles
Division, where he flew F-89 and YB-49 Flying Wing bomber
programs. Chuck gained notoriety for his stall and spin tests
in the YB-49 Flying Wing as well as the highly experimental
X-4 Bantam which he was the first to test fly in Dec. of 1948. His experience in that aircraft
inspired him to design the first full-faced shield helmet for which he was awarded a U.S.
patent. In 1955 Chuck became an experimental test pilot for Lockheed, working with the
XF-104 fighter and T2V projects. He also participated in the National Air Races from
1946-1949. He retired from Lockheed in 1975 as Chief Pilot. Chuck logged over 10,000
hours in a wide variety of aircraft, and was proud to be a founder and Fellow of the Society
of Experimental Test Pilots as well as a member of the Quiet Birdmen.
When Chuck wasn’t in the sky he enjoyed golf, fishing, camping or gold mining with
his family. Chuck and his wife Marcella were married 57 years before she passed away
in 2006. They resided in Saratoga, CA. for 20 years where they raised two boys, Chuck
Tucker of San Jose and Greg Tucker of Sunnyvale. After retiring, he and Marcella moved
to Ridgemark C.C. in Hollister where he spent all but the last few months of his life.
He leaves behind his two sons Chuck and Greg, and daughters-in-law, Joanne and Teri,
grandson, Jeffrey whom he shared his passion for aviation, brother, Ed, sister-in-law, Raili,
and niece, Tiina. Chuck is at peace now and will be greatly missed by his family, friends
and colleagues. Chuck is now truly flying at a new level.
Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert M. White (M),
who flew high enough as a test pilot in an X-15 rocket
plane to earn astronaut wings in the early 1960s, has
passed away on 17 March 2010 at the age of 85.
White was a veteran combat pilot before he came to
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and began flying X15s in the hypersonic, high-altitude research program
that contributed to the U.S. space effort.
On July 17, 1962, White flew to an altitude of 314,750
feet, more than 59 miles high. That was well above the 50-mile altitude the Air Force accepted as the start of space, earning him the service’s first rating as a “winged astronaut.”
At the time, only four other Americans, all Mercury astronauts, had gone into space.
During the previous year, White had become the first person to fly a winged craft several
times the speed of sound at Mach 4, Mach 5 and then — at full throttle — to Mach 6, or
more than 4,000 mph.
Born in New York City in 1924, White joined the military in 1942 as an aviation cadet.
He served in the 355th Fighter Group in Europe during World War II, flying P-51 fighters
from July 1944 to February 1945, when he was shot down over Germany on his 52nd
mission and held as a prisoner of war until April 1945, according to his Air Force biography.
White received a Bachelor of Science degree from New York University in 1951, the
year he was recalled to active duty during the Korean War, serving with units based in
the U.S. and Japan.
In 1954, White went to the Air Force’s Experimental Test Pilot School at Edwards and
was eventually selected as an Air Force representative in the X-15 program, which also
involved NASA, the Navy and aircraft builder North American Aviation. In all, he flew
16 X-15 missions between April 13, 1960, and Dec. 14, 1962.
After his X-15 flights, White served in various Air Force assignments and received a
Master of Science degree in Business Administration from George Washington University before being sent to Southeast Asia. He flew 70 combat missions in F-105 aircraft
over North Vietnam in 1967 and earned the Air Force Cross.
White later commanded the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards before retiring in
1981.
He and his wife, Chris, who died previously, will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
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Cockpit Jan

Transcription

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