Aviation System Safety Expert Witness

Experience

• Over 34 years FAA Air Carrier Certification and Auditing Experience
• Program Design & Development
• International Trainer and Presentations (ICAO Endorsed Instructor)
• Training Program Approval and Standardization
• Former FAA Academy Instructor
• Regulation and Technical Guidance Material Development
• Accredited Stage 3 IS-BAO Auditor (Helicopter and Airplane)
• ACSF Auditor
• IOSA Auditor (Flight, Dispatch, and Cabin)
• Airline Captain Experience
• Former Corporate Aviation Department Manager
• Taught aviation courses at Auburn University, Middle Tennessee State University, U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Safety
• Institute and FAA Center for Management and Executive Leadership
• ICAO endorsed instructor teaching ICAO TRAINAIR courses worldwide (Nigeria, Kenya, Bahrain, Italy, Mexico, Ghana Tanzania, etc.).

Subjects taught include:

• Safety Management Systems
• Federal Aviation Regulations
• Air Carrier Certification
• Pilot School Certification
• Crew Resource Management
• Air Crew Licensing
• Foreign Air Carrier Inspection
• Compliance & Enforcement Procedures
• System Safety
• Flight Testing Procedures
• Aviation Training Organization Certification
• Aircraft Accident Investigation
• Flight Safety

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Selected to serve as Instructor for International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); taught following Aviation Safety Inspector-Operations, Approved Training Organization Certification, and Flight Crew Licensing as part of ICAO’s TRAINAIR Program.
• Taught courses to international students at the Department of Transportation’s Transportation Safety Institute and at various locations including Europe, Indonesia, Central America, Italy, Panama, Mexico and Africa.
• Served as an auditor with FAA Flight Standards Quality Assurance Staff (AFS-40) conducting ISO-9000 audits of FAA field offices.
• Served as Team Leader for FAA’s Technical Assistance Team to aid the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority in obtaining FAA’s Category One status for aviation safety oversight. Category One status was granted in 2010 as the first African nation to receive such status in decades.
• Taught management and technical courses at FAA’s Center for Management and Executive Leadership, the Department of Transportation’s Transportation Safety Institute, and the FAA Academy.
• Consulted with domestic and foreign air carriers, foreign Civil Aviation Authorities and other organizations (Mexico, Azerbaijan, U.A.E., Ukraine, Bahrain, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia and others).
• Served as FAA’s National Resource Inspector for Westwind and Short 360 Aircraft; completed more than a thousand flight evaluations and issued hundreds of pilot certificates and ratings. Appointed FAA designated pilot examiner upon retirement from FAA in March 2010.
• Revised and updated numerous courses in order to improve and adjust course objectives to fit training needs; served as FAA’s Subject Matter Expert (SME) in the development and updating of various courses and lesson plans.
• Assigned to FAA’s Air Transportation Oversight Office (ATOS-CMO) responsible for writing and revising Safety Attribute Inspections (SAIs) and Element Performance Inspections (EPIs).
• Served as adjunct faculty in the Aerospace department at Middle Tennessee State University; taught undergraduate courses Flight Safety and Crew Resource Management
• Experience as International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) auditor
• Former Aerospace faculty at Auburn University and Middle Tennessee State University
• International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) auditor (Operations, Maintenance, Fixed wing, Rotor Wing and Advanced Stage SMS).
• Air Charter Safety Foundation (ASCF) auditor

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Aviation Consultant – Since March 2010
Consulting with foreign civil aviation authorities, air carriers, air agencies, corporate flight departments and other aviation entities worldwide. Providing advice and training, serving as subject matter expert, conducting safety audits (including IS-BAO and IOSA audits), developing training and technical manuals and other consulting services. IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) auditor and Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) auditor. Also serve as expert witness in compliance and litigation.

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION – 1976 – 2010
Supervisory Aviation Safety Inspector (2007-2010)
Detailed to FAA’ Washington, DC Headquarters’ International Programs and Policy Division conducting technical assistance and technical reviews and audits of foreign countries’ civil aviation authorities attempting to comply with international aviation safety standards. Conducted ICAO approved government aviation safety training classes and provided on-the-job training and other assistance.

Aviation Safety Inspector (2004-2007)
Certification Surveillance and Evaluation Team (CSET) Inspector; serve as national technical expert regarding specific aircraft and airline procedures and policies related to certification and evaluation of part-121 air carriers. Provide expertise and technical guidance, ensuring standardization and consistent application of agency guidelines.
Collaborate with principal inspectors of various airlines to develop surveillance strategies for air carriers after certification and actively participate in development and modification of air carrier inspector handbooks. Verify targeted organizations meet Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) regarding operations programs; evaluate air carriers for compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations. Collateral duties included serving as the FAA’s National Resource Inspector for the Short 360 and Westwind aircraft administering flight checks and serving as FAA’s subject matter expert for both aircraft.

Supervisory Inspector (1990-2004)
Managed all operational aspects of the Nashville, Tennessee Flight Standards District Office (FSDO); supervised inspectors tasked with maintenance, avionics and operations. Planned, defined, and managed budget; reallocated resources among projects and programs to ensure attainment of budget objectives. Accountable for aviation safety related activities; developed field office policies and procedures regarding versatile environment of air carrier, foreign air carrier surveillance, general aviation, ATOS, certificate management functions, and various special multi-organizational projects and activities. Supervised personnel; managed human resource functions including training, scheduling, performance evaluations, and corrective/disciplinary actions.

Aviation Safety Inspector (1986-1990)
Functioned as the primary operations interface between assigned air carriers/air operators/air
agencies/airmen/designees and the Federal Aviation Administration. Responsible to assure that assigned organizations meet Federal Aviation Regulations with respect to operations programs. Determined the need for, and then established work programs for surveillance, audit and inspection of assigned organizations. Responsible for surveillance and certification of assigned operators and to take appropriate action, including enforcement proceedings, when deficiencies were discovered. Administered flight checks for certification in airplanes and rotorcraft. Required to maintain currency in airplanes and helicopters. Served as the office’s quality assurance coordinator as a collateral duty. This collateral duty mandated that all reports be examined (accidents, incidents, enforcement actions, etc.) for correctness prior to forwarding to the appropriate office or person. Investigate accidents, incidents, reports of violations of Federal laws and regulations. Served as the government’s expert witness at National Transportation Safety Board hearings and other court proceedings.

Aviation Safety Inspector (1985-1986)
Served as Aviation Safety Inspector in the Office of Flight Operations in FAA’s Washington Headquarters responsible for recommending and justifying new or amended Federal Aviation Regulations; developing policies, standards, programs, and procedures for airmen. Developed and recommended standards, policies, procedures, and programs governing the certification, inspection, and surveillance of air carriers, air agencies, instructional, and other types of airmen. Provided a continuing review of established rules, regulations, and standards pertaining to the certification of airmen and air agencies to assure that they have maintained pace with the needs to which they are directed and that they are reasonable, necessary and adequate. Developed, coordinated, and justified timely changes where mandated. Coordinated a wide variety of positions/policies to ensure consistent approaches and standard interpretations. Collected, verified and assimilated information necessary to ensure integration of all issues that will directly or indirectly impact recommended strategies, tactics, or solutions to issues. Developed and reviewed for accuracy and content, safety related/technical issue papers, briefings, reports, correspondence for the Office of the Director. Responded to congressional correspondence, NTSB recommendations, Freedom of Information Act requests, etc. to ensure responses met the needs of the requester and the FAA.

Aviation Safety Inspector (Nashville, Tennessee Flight Standards District Office, 1982-1985)
Functioned as the primary operations interface between assigned air carriers/air operators/air
agencies/airmen/designees and the Federal Aviation Administration. Responsible to assure that assigned organizations meet Federal Aviation Regulations with respect to operations programs. Determined the need for, and then established work programs for surveillance and inspection of assigned organizations. Responsible for surveillance and certification of assigned operators and to take appropriate action, including enforcement proceedings when deficiencies were discovered. Administered flight checks for certification in airplanes and rotorcraft. Required to maintain currency in airplanes and helicopters. Served as the office’s quality assurance coordinator as a collateral duty. This collateral duty mandated that all reports be examined (accidents, incidents, enforcement actions, etc.) for correctness prior to forwarding to the appropriate office or person. Investigate accidents, incidents, reports of violations of Federal laws and regulations. Served as the government’s expert witness at National Transportation Safety Board hearings and other court proceedings.

Aviation Safety Inspector (Instructor) (1980-1982)
Instructor at the Federal Aviation Administration Academy, teaching FAA and non-FAA personnel in techniques and procedures of administering private, commercial, instrument, flight instructor and ATP certification flight tests. Taught in both flight and classroom phases of approved training and standardization courses offered at the FAA Academy. This included newly hired inspectors in their initial indoctrination course and experienced inspectors in recurrent and advanced courses. Responsible for continuing evaluation of each course of instruction to determine ways and means of improvement and adjustment of course objectives to fit training needs of field inspectors. Executed a detailed report of accomplishment for each student, signifying the student’s relative accomplishment of mandated outcomes. Assigned as the unit’s course manager for the course “Airman Certification Techniques and Procedures.” Required to maintain qualifications as a field inspector through current field experience.

Aviation Safety Inspector (Accident Prevention Specialist) (Juneau, AK, Flight Standards District Office, 1978-1980)
Responsible for the planning, conduction, direction, and evaluation of Accident Prevention Programs for the district (over 25,000 square miles in Southeast Alaska). In addition served as technical advisor to the District Office Manager and assisted in other areas of general aviation operations as required. Participated in accident investigations to develop detailed knowledge of contributing factors, causes, etc. Investigate accidents, incidents, reports of violations of Federal
laws and regulations. Write reports and serve as the government’s witness in hearings and court proceedings. Conducted surveillance of air carriers and air operators to determine accident prevention suggestions and methods. Administered flight checks in airplanes and seaplanes.

Air Traffic Control Specialist (1976-1978)
Served as an Air Traffic Control Specialist. Independently performed the full range of operational duties, which included providing information to pilots on such matters as weather, air routes, navigational aids, and airport conditions before and during flight. Issued instrument clearances to pilots and provided emergency service to pilots in distress. Provided lost pilots with direction finding services.

EDUCATION and CREDENTIALS

• Specialist in Education, (Ed.S.) in Curriculum & Instruction – Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
• Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Aerospace Education – Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology – Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN
• University of Southern California Aviation Safety Certificate Program graduate, May, 1991

Certifications/Licensure

• Certified ICAO TRAINIAR PLUS instructor for ICAO Government Safety Inspector courses
• Certified Fraud Examiner (Association of Certified Fraud Examiners)
• Pilot Weather Briefing Certificate and Certificate of Authority to Take Weather Observations issued by the National Weather Service
• Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 listed General/Civil Family Mediator
• IS-BAO auditor (Maintenance, Operations, Advanced stage SMS, Airplane and Helicopter)
  IOSA auditor (Operations, Cabin, Dispatch)
• Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) auditor
• Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator
• Graduate of University of Southern California Aviation Safety Certificate program

Federal Aviation Administration Airman Certificates (all licenses are current)

• Airline Transport Pilot – Airplane Single & Multi-Engine Land, Rotorcraft: Helicopter & Gyroplane, (TYPE RATINGS include: Lear Jet, Hawker Jet,
• Cessna Citation, Jet Commander, Sabreliner, Short 360, EMB-100, R-22, AS-360), Commercial Privileges: Airplane Single & Multi-Engine Sea, Glider
• Over 12,000 hours flight time, 1200 hours Rotorcraft (including 200 hours gyroplane) 300 hours seaplane.
• Flight Instructor – Airplane Single & Multi-Engine, Rotorcraft – Helicopter & Gyroplane, Instrument-Airplane and Helicopter, Glider
• Ground Instructor – Advanced and Instrument
• Air Traffic Control Specialist Certificate

Professional development and training**

• IOSA auditor training course
• IS-BAO auditor training course
• ACSF auditor training course
• ISO-9001-2000 Internal Auditor
• International Civil Aviation for Inspectors Course
• FAA Rulemaking Course
• EEO Investigator Course
• Aviation Training Organization Certification (18718)
• Personnel Licensing Course (18710)
• Train the Trainer for GSI Course 18700
• Certification Standardization Evaluation Team Orientation
• Advanced Qualification Program
• Internal Evaluation Program for Evaluators
• Aeronautical Personnel Licensing Course (ICAO approved)
• Air Transportation Oversight System (ATOS) Indoctrination
• Aircraft Cabin Safety Investigation
• Accident Prevention Techniques and Procedures
• Operational Approval of Advanced Avionics
• Aircraft Accident Investigation (initial and advanced)
• Gas Turbine Engine Accident Investigation
• Human Factors in Aviation Safety
• The Role of the Technical Witness in Aviation Litigation
• Legal Aspects of Aviation Safety
• Helicopter Accident Investigation
• Initial and Advanced FAA Academy Instructor Training
• Air Carrier Certification
• Aviation Safety Program Management
• Human Factors in Aircraft Accident Investigation
• Crew Resource Management (initial and recurrent)
• System Safety Course
• Tennessee Aerospace Education Workshop
• International Aerospace Education Workshop
• University of California Aviation Safety Certificate Program Graduate
• Executive Aircraft Emergency Procedures & Smoke Evacuation
• Numerous Aircraft Initial and Recurrent Courses (contracted with Flight Safety International, Simuflight, SIMCOM, and Commercial Airlines)
• Numerous U.S. Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol Courses including National Staff College, National Check Pilot School and Inspector General’s College
  **Comprehensive listing of over 7000 hours of formal professional development and management courses available upon request**

Honors & Awards

• Superior Contribution to Aviation Safety award issued by Air Transportation Oversight System Certificate Management Office (2005), Superior
• Contribution to Aviation Safety awards issued by FAA AFS-50 (2008 and 2009)
• Federal Aviation Administration Washington Headquarters, “Commitment to People” award (2004)
• State of Tennessee Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics, “Career Contribution to Aviation” (2004)
• Tennessee Wing, Civil Air Patrol, “Commander of the Year” (1998)
• Federal Aviation Administration National Winner, “Excellence in Public Awareness” (1993)
• FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award (September, 2014)