Tag: Steve Ericson

AIAA to Present Technical Excellence Awards at the 2022 AIAA AVIATION Forum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 3, 2022 – Reston, Va.  – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is pleased to announce the winners of technical excellence awards to be presented during the 2022 AIAA AVIATION Forum, 27 June–1 July, in Chicago.

“We are proud to recognize these accomplished individuals for their influence on the aerospace profession,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. “These visionaries and technological leaders are truly inspirational. We are grateful for their efforts working toward a safer, more connected, more accessible, and more prosperous world.”

Registration for the 2022 AIAA AVIATION Forum is open now for the worldwide aviation community to attend in person or online. Early bird registration extends until 6 June. A limited number of sponsorships and exhibit packages are still available for interested companies and organizations to reach thousands of industry influencers from across the globe. Journalists who wish to cover the forum can request a Press Pass here.

  • 2021 Elmer A. Sperry Award

    Michimasa Fujino, HondaJetMichimasa Fujino, HondaJet

    Award Citation: : In recognition of his singular achievement of research and development of new technologies for business aviation including the Over-the-Wing Engine Mount and Natural Laminar Flow airfoil, and the introduction to the market of commercial aircraft based on these technologies through the formation of HondaJet.

    This award is given annually in recognition of a distinguished engineering contribution which, through application, proved in actual service, has advanced the art of transportation whether by land, sea, air, or space.

  • 2022 AIAA Aerodynamics Award

    Marilyn J. Smith, Georgia Institute of TechnologyMarilyn J. Smith, Georgia Institute of Technology

    Award Citation: For contributions to the computational and theoretical aerodynamic analysis of static and dynamic systems with separated flows, particularly for vertical takeoff and landing rotorcraft vehicles.

    This award is presented for meritorious achievement in the field of applied aerodynamics, recognizing notable contributions in the development, application, and evaluation of aerodynamic concepts and methods

  • 2022 AIAA Aircraft Design Award

    Steve Ericson, OverairSteve Ericson, Overair

    Award Citation: For a lifetime of innovative aircraft designs and exceptional skills in configuration design, as well as mentoring young engineers in aircraft design.

    This award is presented to an individual or team for an original concept or career contributions leading to a significant advancement in aircraft design or design technology.

  • 2022 AIAA Chanute Flight Test Award

    Rogers E. Smith, Consultant/SDI, Georgia Institute of TechnologyRogers E. Smith, Consultant/SDI, Georgia Institute of Technology

    Award Citation: For career-long achievements and contributions to the safe practices and teaching of flight testing, particularly in-flight controls and flying qualities, and significant collaboration with a diverse set of aerospace stakeholders

    This award honors Octave Chanute, pioneer aeronautical investigator, and is presented for an outstanding contribution made by a pilot or test personnel to the advancement of the art, science, and technology of aeronautics.

  • 2022 AIAA Fluid Dynamics Award

    Mujeeb R. Malik, NASA Langley Research CenterMujeeb R. Malik, NASA Langley Research Center

    Award Citation: : For numerous and significant contributions to the understanding and control of laminar­turbulent boundary-layer transition, and for exceptional leadership, particularly in the area of certification-by-analysis.

    This award is presented for outstanding contributions to the understanding of the behavior of liquids and gases in motion as related to need in aeronautics and astronautics.

  • 2022 AIAA Ground Testing Award

    James C. Ross, NASA Ames Research CenterJames C. Ross, NASA Ames Research Center

    Award Citation: : In recognition of decades of exemplary service and leadership in ground testing, advancing critical technologies including heavy vehicles, military aircraft, and NASA’s Multipurpose Crew Vehicle Program.

    This award is presented for outstanding achievement in the development or effective utilization of technology, procedures, facilities, or modeling techniques for flight simulation, space simulation, propulsion testing, aerodynamic testing, or other ground testing associated with aeronautics and astronautics.

  • 2022 AIAA Hap Arnold Award for Excellence in Aeronautical Program Management

    Paul W. Niewald, The Boeing CompanyPaul W. Niewald, The Boeing Company

    Award Citation: : For championing the use of innovative tools such as digital engineering to transform aircraft development, saving time and cost while enhancing performance and safety.

    This award honors General Henry “Hap” Arnold, a lifelong devotee to the concept of air power and Chief of the Army Corps in 1938, and is presented to an individual for outstanding contributions in the management of a significant aeronautical- or aeronautical-related program or project.

  • 2022 AIAA James A. Van Allen Space Environments Award

    Henry B. Garrett, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of TechnologyHenry B. Garrett, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology

    Award Citation: For a lifetime of contributions to the understanding of the interactions of spacecraft with the Earth’s magnetosphere and those of other planets.

    This award recognizes outstanding contributions to space and planetary environment knowledge and interactions as applied to the advancement of aeronautics and astronautics. The award honors Prof. James A. Van Allen, an outstanding internationally recognized scientist, who is credited with the early discovery of the Earth’s “Van Allen Radiation Belts.”

  • 2022 AIAA Losey Atmospheric Sciences Award

    Fred H. Proctor, NASA (retired)Fred H. Proctor, NASA (retired)

    Award Citation: For leading fundamental research to characterize atmospheric-related aviation hazards and to develop advanced sensor algorithms for identifying and mitigating these hazards.

    This award was established in memory of Captain Robert M. Losey, a meteorological officer who was killed while serving as an observer for the U.S. Army, the first officer in the service of the United States to die in World War II. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the atmospheric sciences as applied to the advancement of aeronautics and astronautics.

  • 2022 AIAA Thermophysics Award

    Karen A. Thole, Pennsylvania State University, START LabKaren A. Thole, Pennsylvania State University, START Lab

    Award Citation: For pioneering research at the intersection of additive manufacturing and heat transfer in gas turbine engines that enables innovative combustor and turbine cooling designs.

    This a ward is presented for an outstanding singular or sustained technical or scientific contribution by an individual in thermophysics, specifically as related to the study and application of the properties and mechanisms involved in thermal energy transfer and the study of environmental effects on such properties and mechanisms.

  • 2022 AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Award

    Sergey O. Macheret, Purdue UniversitySergey O. Macheret, Purdue University

    Award Citation: For pioneering work on novel plasma generation and control methods and on aerospace applications of plasmas.

    This award is presented for outstanding contributions to the understanding of the physical properties and dynamical behavior of matter in the plasma state and lasers as related to need in aeronautics and astronautics.

AIAA Media Contact: Rebecca B. Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270 cell

About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

How to Speed to Prototype

Panelists: Moderator Starr Ginn, deputy aeronautics research director, NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center; Charles “Chase” Ashton, senior engineer, AeroVironment Inc.; Scott Drennan, director of innovation, Bell; Steve Ericson, director of advanced design, The Spaceship Co.; Bob Morgan, director of research and development, Scaled Composites; Michael Swanson, chief engineer, Advanced Development Programs, Lockheed Martin

by  Michele McDonald, AIAA Communications Manager

AIAA AVIATION Forum, Atlanta, June 25, 2018 – Moving quickly from aerospace design to prototype can be daunting, but a few key principles may help: keep it simple; fail early and often; use existing technology; and perhaps most essential, have a great team.

A panel of aerospace experts outlined some key factors for a successful and fast prototype launch June 25 during the “Rapid Spiral Development From Ground to Flight” session at the 2018 AIAA AVIATION Forum in Atlanta.

Scott Drennan, director of innovation at Bell, said there’s a lot to learn from getting your hands on hardware because it feeds back into the design.

“I’m a big believer in the build,” he said.

Charles “Chase” Ashton, an aeromechanical engineer with AeroVironment Inc., said team members with many hands-on skills and who are “masters of some” are crucial to the success of a fast-moving project.

“We not only design [the prototypes] and build them, but have the ability to test them as well,” Ashton said.

Bob Morgan, director of research and development at Scaled Composites, said doing the work in-house, without relying upon contractors, helps speed the path to prototype; he advised not to design something you can’t build yourself.

Morgan added that companies should keep it simple and resist design changes late in the process because they add cost and time. Look at what really needs to be done and then add from there, he said, adding that the simplest answer can be surprising.

For example, Morgan said, a prototype aircraft with a pilot can be faster to prototype than an unmanned system, depending on the size of the aircraft.

“Sometimes it’s easier to stick a guy into it,” he said.

Another tenet: “Fail early and fail often,” Morgan said. Fixing problems early saves time and money.

In addition, reuse what you know, Michael Swanson, chief engineer of Advanced Development Programs at Lockheed Martin, said, adding that costs can be reduced by a factor of four by simply using existing parts and technology. Skunk Works tries to bite off only one miracle per aircraft program, Swanson joked.

Building trust with the customer also helps shave time from design to prototype, said Steve Ericson, director of advanced design with The Spaceship Co.

Embedding the customer within the team builds trust and speed, Ericson said. He explained that when he worked on a project that required nine prototypes built to production standards, the customer was a part of meetings and already knew about any failures and what was being done to fix them.

Keeping the customer close eliminates “having a Power Point battle,” Ericson said.

Panelists agreed that during this rapid process, both the team and the customer must have a high tolerance for risk and failure.

“It’s not for the faint of heart,” Swanson said.

Video

All 2018 AIAA AVIATION Forum Videos