Aircraft System Safety Expert Witness

Technical Background/Experience

Senior Manager and Leader, System Integration Integrated Product Team, Boeing C-130 Avionics Modernization Program 2001 – 2004. Responsible for the system safety, human engineering, reliability, maintainability, integrated diagnostics, survivability, and electromagnetic compatibility of a major upgrade program to provide increased capability to the USAF’s older C-130 fleet

Expert Technical Assistance 2003-2004. Provided Hughes & Luce LLP, Dallas, Texas with expert technical assistance in evaluating airframes, subassemblies, and parts for two T-38A airframes under repair/reconstruction prior to returning airframes to USAF control

System Safety Leader, Boeing Aircraft & Missiles- Southern California 1998 – 2001. Responsible for safety of B-1B bomber and various experimental programs to include Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (X-45), X-31 Vector, Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstrators (X-32A/B), Hyper-X (X-43), and Space Maneuver Vehicle (X-40). Personally conducted the flight safety program for Boeing’s X-32 demonstrator program that culminated in the successful demonstration of short takeoff and vertical landing capability

System Safety Leader, Hughes/Raytheon, Wide Area Augmentation System 1996-98. Responsible for design safety of next generation FAA navigation system (augmented GPS)

System Safety Manager, Northrop Military Aircraft Division, 1987- 1994
Responsible for safety design of YF-23A Advanced Tactical Fighter prototype, F/A-18 Navy Fighter, Northrop Embraer Super Tucano Trainer Aircraft and F-5E Avionics Upgrade Programs.

Manager of Reports & Analysis Division, System Safety Division, and Fighter/Trainer Branch of United States Air Force Safety Center, 1982-87
Established final USAF position on causation of all USAF fighter/trainer aircraft accidents, and administratively reviewed all other aircraft accidents (cargo, bomber, tanker, helicopter).

Accident Investigation/Reconstruction Experience

Conducted multiple accident investigations on F/A-18 aircraft.

President of F-15 aircraft “Class A” Mishap Investigation Board, Anchorage, Alaska, 1985

Principle investigator for fatal F-100 aircraft ground accident, 1966

Education/Training

University of Southern California
The Role of The Technical Witness in Litigation, 1994. Included scope of participation, rules of evidence, depositions, privilege, liability and ethics; video-taped direct and cross examination

Master of Science in Systems Management, 1985

Certificate in Safety Management, 1985

Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, 1982

Stevens Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, 1962

United States Air Force Pilot/Supervisor, 1962-1987

Flight Examiner Qualified, T-37 Trainer Aircraft

Instructor Pilot Qualified, T-37, F-16 Trainer/Fighter Aircraft

Combat Qualified Pilot, F-16, F-4, F-100 Fighter Aircraft

Commercial Pilot, 1964

Single Engine Land, Multi-Engine Land (C/T), Instrument Ratings Owner, Beechcraft Sundowner 1988-2004

Professional Society Affiliation

Past member, International Society Of Air Safety Investigators
Past member, System Safety Society
Past member of the System Effectiveness & Safety Technical Committee of the American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics.
Past member, Society Of Automotive Engineers. Past member of the Safety Standardization Advisory Committee Of The Aerospace Council

Supporting Aviation Experience

Forty years of world-wide pilot experience (13 as a supervisor) in locations including USA, Australia, Thailand, Egypt, Western Europe, Turkey, Philippine Islands, and others

Nineteen years experience identifying safety requirements, safety hazards, and performing safety hazard analyses
Personal experience handling numerous inflight emergencies/anomalies to include flight control degradations, hard-over rudder, engine flameout, compressor stalls, hydraulic failures, generator failures, engine icing, loss of thrust/power, trapped fuel, aft center of gravity, loss of brakes, loss of oxygen, unsafe landing gear, single-engine approaches & landings, loss of airspeed indicator, attitude indicator failures, and compass failures

Performed safety hazard analyses at the component, subsystem, and system levels

Expert knowledge of safety driven design requirements (redundancy management, single-point failures, safety critical components)

Expert knowledge of fault trees and fault hazard analysis techniques in evaluating safety risk

Broad knowledge of aircraft design requirements, aircraft handling qualities, and airworthiness requirements

Provided extensive input into aircraft flight manual normal and emergency procedures

Extensive knowledge of engine bay fire containment/extinguishing designs

Provided safety evaluation of YF-23A fly-by-wire flight control systems and related software algorithms and supervised final 50 hour “confidence test” in the “Iron Bird Simulator” to support first flight clearance. Was the only non test pilot allowed to fly portions of this test

Extensive presentation experience to diverse audiences from Congressmen and general officers to community groups. Developed and presented worldwide safety briefings for aircrews

More than 6800 hours as pilot in command of military and civilian aircraft- Cessna Skyhawk, Piper Cherokee, Piper Colt, Piper Super Cub, Beech Sundowner, F-16, F-4, F-100, T-37, T-38

Private Beechcraft aircraft owner with more than 2700 hours of day/night/weather experience in the Los Angeles basin high density traffic areas flying to/from work, 5 days a week.

Personal experience with temporal distortion effect during high stress

Survivor of 3 life threatening spatial disorientation incidents

In-flight eye-witness to two pilot bailouts (ejections)/aircraft crashes

Supported accident litigation actions at USAF and Northrop Grumman

Extensive documentation skills– written, photographic, and video

Published safety articles in USAF Flying magazine, USAF TAC Attack magazine, and Northrop F-5 Technical Digest

Instructed pilots from Israel, Egypt, Norway, Denmark and other countries

Maintenance Check Flight experience

Co-author of USAF safety training films on spatial disorientation and ego

Provide monthly flying safety briefings to Boeing test pilots

Authored USAF “g”-induced loss of consciousness survey that first identified scope of loss of consciousness problem. Centrifuge experience in evaluating “g” tolerance

Commanded first squadron to become combat ready in the F-16 fighter

Personal Data

Retired from USAF in rank of Colonel. Vietnam combat experience – 350 missions, 565 flight hours. Military awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross (4), Air Medal (17), Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/Silver Star, plus others

Retired from Northrop Grumman as System Safety Manager

Retired from Boeing as Senior Manager and Leader, System Integration Integrated Product Team

Physically fit for travel to remote accident scenes

Member of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and Experimental Aircraft Association