AEDC Fellows

2011

Dr. Ronald L. Clouse
2011 AEDC Fellow

Dr. Clouse was team leader for development of mathematical models and computer simulations for all of the Aeropropulsion Systems Test Facility (ASTF) and a foreign technology engineering intelligence analyst. He retired in 1997 only to return a few months later as a consultant in the foreign technology intelligence area. Dr. Clouse provided technical and managerial leadership in the testing of air-breathing engines, propulsion technology and engineering intelligence analysis of foreign technology greatly benefiting AEDC and the nation.

James H. Nichols
2011 AEDC Fellow

Prior to his retirement, Nichols was deputy director, Operations and Maintenance Facility for then AEDC contractor Calspan Corp. He provided technical and managerial leadership in advancing the state-of-the-art for wind tunnel facility design, operation and testing. In particular, Nichols is noted for his pioneering work in the Propulsion Wind Tunnel (PWT) and for resolving operational problems and extending the capabilities of PWT, in addition to other accomplishments.

Edgar Wantland
2011 AEDC Fellow

Wantland provided service at AEDC in turbine engine test, analysis and evaluation. Now a senior analysis engineer, he is recognized for his sustained enthusiasm, pursuit of the highest quality and national impact in support of Turbine Engine Analysis. Throughout his career, Wantland has positively impacted U.S. Air Force (USAF) fighter programs and has contributed to the development and qualification of associated major engine test programs.

William G. Gray
2011 AEDC Lifetime Achievement Award Fellow

Gray retired as technical director of the 704th Test Group in 2010 after 33 years at AEDC. He is cited for his exemplary performance in technical management, mission support and contract source selections that have enabled AEDC to remain a national asset. Gray is also recognized for providing a lifetime of pioneering accomplishments for AEDC in all facets of the center including test operations, test investments, civil engineering, mission support, contract source selection and contract management.

Jim N. Patterson
2011 AEDC Lifetime Achievement Award Fellow

Patterson made vital contributions to AEDC during 35 years of outstanding service in plant engineering, control systems, specialized power supplies maintenance and management. He was deputy general manager of then AEDC contractors Calspan/Microcraft when he retired in 1994. Patterson contributed greatly to the success of AEDC over the years through his work in engineering and maintenance of all types of air-moving plant equipment and through his in-depth experience and leadership at every organization level.

2010

Dr. Milt Davis Jr.
2010 AEDC Fellow

Dr. Davis provided technical and project management contributions to development of gas turbine engine modeling and simulation capabilities at AEDC applied via Integrated Test and Evaluation (IT&E) concepts to both ground and flight test programs of the Air Force.

His work demonstrated the key elements of effective IT&E based methodology for resolving inlet flow swirl propulsion system integration issues on new or upgraded weapon systems. This capability is added to the existing total pressure, temperature and unsteady flow resolution methodologies currently in place.

One of Dr. Davis' achievements has been his interaction with potential users of his modeling and simulation work to form a coalition of interested government, industry and educational partners for the continued development and enhancement of dynamic compression system simulations known as Joint Dynamic Airbreathing Propulsion Simulations (JDAPS.)

In 2003, Dr. Davis was successful in acquiring government funding from the DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP) for enhancing airframe-propulsion numerical simulations under the Collaborative Simulation and Testing (CST) Portfolio.

Dr. Davis also developed a 3-D compression system numerical simulation, dubbed the Turbine Engine Analysis Compressor Code (TEACC), applied to the JSF F135 engine.

Dr. Stan Powell
2010 AEDC Fellow

Dr. Powell's work is directly responsible for advancing test capabilities in the von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility, the High Enthalpy Ablation Test (HEAT) Facility, the Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit (APTU) and the Propulsion Wind Tunnels (PWT).

He accomplished extensive original research and engineering development leading to the modeling, design and operation of hypersonic test facilities. Dr. Powell's contributions include original modeling of combustion processes, modeling of thermodynamic and transport properties of the test media and the assessment of combustion effects on test data with respect to simulation fidelity. His thermophysical developments and modeling capabilities are critical components of AEDC's hypersonic, aeropropulsion and aerodynamic test processes.

Dr. Powell has been instrumental in the development of hypersonic test capabilities, including a transpiration-cooled combustion test facility for the national area of missile defense testing.

He performed an engineering analysis that provided the basis for the successful advocacy for funding to develop the Mach 7.0 True Temperature test capability for VKF.

He developed a heat-transfer model with appropriate thermodynamics that will allow better determination of arc pilot conditions from heat transfer probes. As part of this capability, he contributed to upgrading the widely used WIND-US CFD code for air thermodynamics properties.

Dr. Powell developed the HEATPAK program, a collection of heat-transfer calculation methods on unit problems of importance to test and analysis at AEDC such as aero-vehicle and facility flows. He also developed the combustion process for the Vitiated Air Heater (VAH) in APTU.

William R. "Bill" Bates
AEDC Lifetime Achievement Award Fellow

Bill Bates' 33 years of AEDC service was built upon 10 years of pioneering wind tunnel testing with National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at Langley Field. At Langley, he led the testing for early concepts of vertical take-off and hovering flight.

He calibrated the high pressure compressor systems for the newly constructed hypersonic wind tunnels in the Gas Dynamics Facility (GDF) - now named the von Karman Gas Dynamics facility (VKF). His work validated that the new wind tunnels could be precisely operated which launched a new era of hypersonic testing at AEDC.

His work contributed immensely to establishing technical requirements for new U.S. aerospace ground testing facilities and helped support advocacy during the congressional approval process for world-class facilities such as the Aeropropulsion Systems Test Facility (ASTF).

He assessed and baselined the cost of operating all AEDC wind tunnels and turbine engine and rocket test facilities. His work became a baseline from which numerous cost reduction programs were launched leading to the streamlining of testing processes and the establishment of better customer charging policies.

Bates plans to retire in 1985 were thwarted when AEDC's J-5 Solid Propellant Rocket Test cell was destroyed by an explosion of a Peacekeeper Stage III rocket motor. The AEDC commander asked Bates to delay his retirement and lead the J-5 rebuild team. Under his leadership, the task was completed ahead of schedule and well under cost.

He retired from AEDC in 1987.

2009

Dr. Charles "Chad" Limbaugh
2009 AEDC Fellow
Dr. Limbaugh started his AEDC career in 1964. His primary focus has been in the study of the physics of expanding non-thermal supersonic and hypersonic gas flows. He also contributed to the non-intrusive diagnostics of rocket and turbine engine exhausts.

In the early 1960s, he focused on developing and understanding methods to heat air and other gases to the stagnation temperature of reentry vehicles. In the 1970s, Dr. Limbaugh turned his attention to missile plumes observed from the new overhead infrared sensors and to the aircraft and ground truth measurements, which supported them.

Chief contribution to the area of combustion flows diagnostics was the infrared emission-absorption method of measurements of local species partial pressure and temperatures for rocket and jet engine flows. Other contributions included methods of modeling the addition of energy to non-thermal equilibrium flows and the subsequent thermalization of that energy.

Dr. Limbaugh has represented AEDC through his involvement in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), serving as the AEDC representative on the AIAA Thermophysics Technical committee. He has also been the AIAA Thermophysics Program Chairman and the AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting General Chairman.

Although he retired from the center in 2002, he continues to work in the Advanced Missile Signature Center and the Technology Department on special projects.

Dave Pickering
Lifetime Achievement Award Fellows
Throughout his career, Pickering was noted as providing the Air Force and AEDC leadership of the contracting function, overseeing the award and management of more than $1 billion worth of contracts required to operate and maintain AEDC. His expertise ensured the protection of AEDC's work force by developing the contracting provisions, which enhanced and preserved AEDC's talented and skilled work force.

Pickering was assigned as AEDC's procurement officer after receiving his commission in 1963. He served as a buyer, negotiator, contract administrator and contracting officer until 1966. After leaving active duty in 1968, Pickering came back to AEDC as a civilian contract specialist.

During his tenure, Pickering played an integral part in four operating contract competitions. He single-handedly devised and implemented techniques and contract provisions in 1980 when the center's operation and maintenance contract split into three contracts after having a single contract work force for 30 years.

According to former commander retired Col. Larry Graviss, the government was in jeopardy of losing hundreds of highly skilled technicians, scientists and managers. Pickering worked to preserve the benefits at no additional cost to the government, thereby facilitating the retention of hundreds of employees.

Pickering retired in 1995 with more than 31 years of service to the center.

Temple Bowling
Lifetime Achievement Award Fellows
Bowling started his AEDC career as an Air Force captain in 1973. After seven years of service, Bowling separated from active duty to become and Air Force Reservist and join the ranks of the contractor world. He first started as purchaser in the warehouse for Arnold Research Organization (ARO) in 1977.

By 1981, he moved into the civil service arena working for the deputy of Contracting. He helped develop the processes and procedures needed to operate the center under the new paradigm of three operating contracts versus the sole source that existed for 30 years. He was key in ensuring the initial success of this new business arrangement especially the implementation of the cost plus award fee evaluation process where the operating contractor no longer received an automatic fixed fee regardless of performance.

In 1995, he reached the highest position in procurement as the director of contracting. He regularly interacted with the center commander, higher headquarters personnel program executive officer for combat and mission support, and other senior governmental and private sector officials. For more than 10 years Bowling was the center's front-line advocate for the unique government-managed, contractor-operated business model and how that contributed to the long-term success of the center.

Former AEDC commander retired Brig. Gen. David Stringer asked Bowling to serve as the center's acting executive director in 2006. He filled the critical command section position for a three-month period ensuring continuity of the office.

Bowling was asked to serve in his current role later in 2006 as the deputy director of the 704th Mission Support Group. He is responsible for providing planning, policy development, management and supervision of all aspects of mission support to the group and AEDC commanders.

2008

DR. DAVID ELROD
2008 AEDC Fellow
During his 29-year career at AEDC, Dr. Elrod's groundbreaking technical innovations significantly streamlined the test and evaluation acquisition process. His demonstrated technical, management and people skills led to progressive technical management roles, culminating in his current role as the first general manager to have responsibility for all contractor activities since 1980. 

His accomplishments range from design and development of non-intrusive flow diagnostics, electro-optic instrumentation systems, microprocessor design and programming to establishment of a first-of-its-kind facility for the mission simulation testing of space sensors. 

His technical management talents produced successes in test project management, facility acquisition program management, team development and management of technology and positive organizational change.

WADE STEVENSON
2008 AEDC Fellow

The earliest years of Stevenson's 40-year career at AEDC were devoted to testing of solid propellant rocket motors in test cell T-3 in support of DoD, NASA and commercial space programs of that era. He served as project team member and/or project manager responsible for testing more than 50 rocket motors including 11 JPL Apogee motors for the Advanced Technology Satellite, a COMSAT INTELSAT IT communication spacecraft motor and several upper stage motors for the Delta Launch Vehicle. 

Additionally, Stevenson was also an early contributor to the center's initiative to move into the Analysis and Evaluation (A&E) arena. Stevenson retired from AEDC in 2004.

2007

T. FRANK LANGHAM
2007 AEDC Fellow

Langham was honored for his contributions in leadership, sustained technical excellence and innovative development and application of analysis techniques and computational simulations to weapon system programs and test facilities at AEDC. 

One of his first assignments at AEDC was the mathematical modeling and evaluation of the dynamic stability parameters for bomber and attack aircraft. He also investigated the importance of dynamic derivatives in missile motion simulation.

WILLIAM 'BILL' MACDERMOTT
2007 AEDC Fellow

MacDermott was honored for his leadership and technical innovation through a 42-year career at AEDC. He contributed to the design of the nine-stage air compressor plant for the Gas Dynamics Facility (GDF) which later became the von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility. He worked in design of the plant ducting and the rupture disk safety system. He developed a technique optimizing flexible nozzle contours by an influence method which is still in use. He also conducted studies defining the effect of air liquefaction on model testing in unheated, low Mach number wind tunnels.

PAUL E. MCCARTY
2007 AEDC Fellow

McCarty was honored for leading the AEDC Noninterference Stress Measurement System (NSMS) technology program in developing tNSMS and transitioning the new capability from concept through performance demonstration and to fully operational status and to further refinement. He advanced testing methodologies in test data acquisition and made substantial improvements in overall capability and reliability of AEDC's plants and test control systems.

2006

DR. JAMES W. CUNNINGHAM
2006 AEDC Fellow 
Dr. Cunningham was honored for the important, enabling contributions he made during his 55-year career to the development, commissioning and operation of AEDC's Propulsion Wind Tunnel (PWT) complex, arc heater facilities and the Aeropropulsion System Test Facility (ASTF). His work in application of feedback control theory to the problem of arc heater stabilization has significantly advanced the state-of-the-art for wind tunnel design, development operations and testing. His contributions have aided the establishment of AEDC as a Center of Excellence for testing of aircraft, turbine engines and reentry space vehicles. Dr. Cunningham retired from AEDC in 1993.

MILTON W. DAVIS, SR.
2006 AEDC Fellow
Mr. Davis was recognized for his technical and managerial leadership in advancing the state-of-the-art for wind tunnel design, development, operations and testing. While at AEDC, he was recognized as a national authority on transonic and supersonic wind tunnels and his contributions to ground testing at AEDC are distinguished by their breadth and long-term value. Mr. Davis, who began his AEDC career in 1957, retired from the center in 1998.

MR. FREDERICK L. SHOPE
2006 AEDC Fellow

Mr. Shope, who began working at the center in 1973, was honored for his outstanding contributions in leadership, sustained technical excellence and innovative development/application of analysis techniques/computation simulations to ground test facilities and programs at AEDC. His leadership advanced AEDC wind tunnel nozzle design procedures to accurately include chemically reacting flows in high temperature ground test facilities such as in the AEDC Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit (APTU) and AEDC's H1-H2-H3 arc heater complex.

DR. FRANK WATTENDORF
2006 AEDC Fellow

Dr. Wattendorf, a founding member of the Scientific Advisory Group formed to study America's needs in the aerodynamic field, authored the Trans-Atlantic Memo, which became the first recommendation for AEDC. The memo stated the need for facilities to develop and test supersonic aircraft and missiles and later became a significant part of Dr. von Kármán's Toward New Horizons blueprint for Air Force research and development. Dr. Wattendorf was selected as the civilian chairman of the AEDC Planning Group and, in 1946, was awarded the Medal of Freedom for the overseas surveys and recommendation for the new testing complex.

2005

RONALD DAWBARN
2005 AEDC Fellow

Mr. Ronald Dawbarn was an engineering physicist for 32 years in the AEDC Space and Missiles Systems department. As an engineering physicist, his experience was in a broad range of technical areas such as condensation phenomena, cryogenics and vacuum technology, plume and molecular beam diagnostics, testing of space propulsion systems, infrared absorption, spectroscopy, gas chromatography, high speed photography, cryogenic thermometry and crystal microbalances. 

Mr. Dawbarn's contributions to AEDC still have an impact on the future of space programs, today. His contributions were realized from the Apollo missions in the 1960s, continuing through to the contributions he made to the Space Based Infrared System, a system still under development. 

FRANK M. JACKSON
2005 AEDC Fellow

Mr. Frank M. Jackson, chief engineer of the Integrated Test and Evaluation department at AEDC, has been the driving force behind the delivery of many aeronautical test capabilities and improvements, which have proven to be essential to the nation's weapon system development needs. He researched testing in Propulsion Wind Tunnel's 16-foot supersonic wind tunnel to develop optimum second-throat diffuser configurations that remain in use after 30 years. 

Mr. Jackson served as senior research engineer responsible for specifications, design, procurement and installation of a new high-angle automated model support system for the 16-foot transonic wind tunnel (16T), which significantly improved model attitude range, pitch and roll rates and test productivity. As director of the Jacobs Sverdrup Flight Systems department, he supervised execution of more than 12,000 hours of wind tunnel testing in the 4-foot and the 16-foot transonic wind tunnels and hypersonic tunnels A, B, and C. He is currently leading an effort to restore propulsion test capability in 16T to meet a very high priority test customer need. 

JAMES C. USELTON
2005 AEDC Fellow
Since 1962, Mr. James C. Uselton has spent the majority of his 40-plus-year career in the aerospace industry primarily as a leading technical expert in aerodynamics. During his 18 years at AEDC, Mr. Uselton applied his skills as a technical professional, specializing in the areas of research and development testing, advanced test technique development, and test facility improvements for better flight simulation. As evident by many references to his research by fellow aerodynamicists, he is renowned as an expert in the test and evaluation (T&E) of hypersonic and supersonic lifting vehicles in wind tunnels and on ballistic ranges. 

As contractor aerodynamics branch manager, deputy director, and then director, of the von Kármán Gas Dynamics Facility (VKF) at AEDC from 1978-1980, Mr. Uselton managed more than 60 of the industry's top technical engineers in the conduct of test programs, the development of advanced test techniques, analyses of wind tunnel results and extrapolation of these results to flight conditions, affecting lifting vehicles, and the direction of advanced facility development. 

As assistant manager of the aerodynamics branch of the VKF in the mid-1970s, he directed 18 professionals in the development of dynamic stability mechanisms and directed the investigation to improve the definition of test section conditions in hypersonic wind tunnels. Most notably during this period, Mr. Uselton directed testing in the still-nascent field of hypersonics for reentry and lifting vehicle systems such as ABRV, AMARV, and ACE. The success of these tests played a vital role in the development of the space shuttle reusable space vehicle. 

Mr. Uselton was also instrumental in introducing concepts, resources and people to AEDC from other segments of Sverdrup to help meet critical AEDC goals. He currently continues his service to AEDC by serving on the Board of Directors of ATA, AEDC's contractor company. 

DR. THEODORE von KARMAN (1881-1963)
2005 AEDC Fellow
Dr. von Kármán was honored for his extensive contributions in advancing aviation technology that made American airpower the best in the world and for his key role in the establishment of AEDC. His 1945 report to General of the Air Force Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold titled "Toward New Horizons" was the blueprint for Air Force research and development for 50 years. Dr. von Kármán was born near Budapest, Hungary in the spring of 1881, and his technical genius was revealed at an early age. At the age of six, he could multiply six digit numbers in his head with the speed of a calculator. When he was 16 years old, he was awarded the Eotvos Prize as the finest mathematics and science student in all of Hungary, opening the door for him to begin his outstanding academic, scientific and engineering career. 

Initially starting his career studying fluid mechanics at the Gottingen Mathematical Institute, Dr. von Kármán became interested in aeronautics after attending an aerial demonstration. From that point on, Dr. von Kármán dedicated his life to the science of aeronautics. He moved to Aachen, Germany, to pursue his interest in the wind, and was determined to make his mark on aerodynamics research, as director of the Aachen Aeronautical Institute. 

In 1915, Dr. von Kármán found himself in the middle of WWI, and assumed the post of director of research of the Austro-Hungarian Aviation Corps. At this post, he began ground-breaking work on helicopters, machine gun and propeller synchronization, and fuel tank penetration. 

After returning from the war and resuming his position at the Aachen Aeronautical Institute, Dr. von Kármán again focused on aerodynamics research. While he had his eye on his research, the United States, particularly the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), had their eyes on him. 

In the late 1920s, Caltech lured Dr. von Kármán to their facilities with a $4,000 stipend (more than most of their faculty made in an entire year) to act as a consultant for a new wind tunnel they were planning. He dramatically changed the design of the tunnel, and over the next several years divided his time between Aachen and Caltech. 

By 1930, Caltech had officially added Dr. von Kármán to their staff as full-time director of the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology (GALCIT). While at Caltech, his laboratory became regarded as a primary center of interest in the world of aeronautical science. His personal scientific work continued and he made significant contributions to fluid mechanics, turbulence theory, supersonic flight, and mathematics in engineering, as well as, aircraft structures, and wind erosion of soil. It was not only his advances in aeronautics, but also his teaching ability that brought him notice from General Arnold. It was while at Caltech that Dr. von Kármán developed a vision of aeronautics similar to the vision General Arnold had for the Air Force. 

Dr. von Kármán and General Arnold realized that having a cooperative aeronautics establishment between civilian scientists and military men would have advantages for both sides. General Arnold and Dr. von Kármán had several meetings where they discussed the future of air research, and while he remained on the staff at Caltech, Dr. von Kármán began working with General Arnold to improve and advance American's Air Force. 

In 1944, General Arnold asked Dr. von Karman to establish a Scientific Advisory Group of talented scientists to review the techniques and research trends in aeronautics, evaluate Axis aeronautical research and development programs and facilities and to provide recommendations for future Air Force research and development programs. Dr. von Karman put together several reports for General Arnold including, "Where We Stand" and "Toward New Horizons." 

It was as chairman of the Scientific Advisory Group that Dr. von Kármán recommended that an air engineering development center be established, which developed into AEDC as it is today. 

General Arnold's vision and Dr. von Kármán's reports led to American airpower dominance and the establishment of the Air Engineering Development Center later renamed and dedicated as the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) in 1951. In October 1959, AEDC honored Dr. von Kármán by renaming the Gas Dynamics Facility after him, marking the first time that the Air Force had named a major facility after a living person. 

Dr. von Kármán made many other contributions to aerodynamics, including his active involvement in developing supersonic aircraft and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, developing many theories, such as the effects of forces and currents on aircraft and spacecraft and co-founding of the present NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. 

He also envisioned the idea of partnership among aeronautical engineers and obtained approval from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to launch the NATO Advisory Group for Aeronautical Research and Development, known by its acronym AGARD, which he was chairman of until his death on May 7, 1963. 

Dr. von Kármán was, and still is, highly respected by many people in the aeronautics and scientific fields. He was the first recipient of the National Medal of Science awarded by President John Kennedy. 

Dr. von Kármán was named to the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1983 for his outstanding contributions to aviation and space technology, and received the Presidential Medal of Merit and eight honorary doctorates. The profound contributions to the United States Air Force and the scientific community made by Dr. von Karman continue to have an impact on modern testing technologies. 

It was Dr. von Kármán's ability to translate and carry out General Arnold's vision for the future that has led the United States Air Force to its current unrivaled state of airpower and air capability.

DONALD A. WAGNER
2005 AEDC Fellow
Mr. Donald A. Wagner began his engineering career in 1966 as a research engineer at AEDC. He is a world renowned aerodynamicist, and is sought by AEDC and others to identify, understand, and provide designs to meet test facility requirements. In the late 1960's he performed diffuser performance and heat transfer analyses, steam ejector analyses, and rocket test data analyses at the J-5 Test Cell. Knowledge gained from these analyses improved the altitude testing capabilities provided in this cell and decreased blowback. 

In the late 1960s and 1970s, he was a principal investigator at the von Karman Gas Dynamics Test Facility (VKF). He performed extensive analyses to develop supersonic ram jet engine testing techniques for the AEDC shock tunnels and the Hotshot Tunnel F. He analyzed the real gas effects in tunnel gas dynamics and on test articles in the MHD Augmented Shock T Tunnel J, where he was also responsible for planning and conducting tests and correlating test data. 

These analyses were considered critical to the expansion of AEDC's testing capabilities and ultimately to the advancement of the national space program. Understanding the effects of the gas surrounding an object at high velocity was the first step in AEDC's support to space shuttle testing. 

Another of Mr. Wagner's significant contributions to hypersonic wind tunnel operations at AEDC was the development of diagnostics to more accurately quantify Mach number issues. He conducted an extensive experimental program which was used to isolate the cause of non-isentropic flows in hypersonic Tunnels F and C. This capability enabled him and other AEDC test engineers to define the true Mach number of the tunnel operating points and greatly enhance the correlation between the tunnel and actual re-entry conditions. 

In the early 1980s, he served as a lead engineering analyst at the ETF. In this role, he continued to perform test facility analyses to enhance AEDC's testing capabilities primarily at the APTU and Rocket Test Cells T-3 and J-4. 

In 1983, he transferred to Jacobs Sverdrup's Technology Group where he continued to lead special assignments to support AEDC. During the ensuing 20 years, he has continued to be instrumental in defining and developing facility modernizations to accommodate the increased performance parameters of the nation's ever evolving propulsion wind tunnel test systems. In 2002, he led the aerothermal design efforts for the 90-day emergency repair of the Sea-Level 2 (SL-2) Test Cell - helping to sustain AEDC's capability to execute performance testing of turbojet engines. As a critical element for the development of the next-generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, SL-2 is a key asset in ensuring a strong national defense. 

2004

DR. WILLIAM B. BAKER
2004 AEDC Fellow
Dr. William B. Baker's innovations in integrating wind tunnel testing, computer modeling, and analysis have identified AEDC as a Center of Excellence in weapon separation simulations. His innovations have been successfully applied to every DoD aircraft and weapon system developed over the last twenty years. The results of his efforts were made evident in Operations Desert Storm, Anaconda, and Iraqi Freedom. 

The resulting benefit to AEDC has been sustained funding from the Department of Defense and aerospace industry customers for an aggregate dollar amount of $500,000 to $1 million yearly since the mid-nineties. 

His focus has been on the development of analysis capabilities in support of weapons separation and engine inlet integration. Dr. Baker developed the technique for predicting store separation trajectories based on regression analysis of aircraft and store experimental data. This represented the first computational technique developed at AEDC for prediction of stores separation.
 
Dr. Baker also developed a high angle-of-attack aerodynamic coefficient prediction technique for missiles that has been used by both U.S. and foreign missile developers. Applications of his prediction tool by the system development teams have included the AIM-120C, AIM-9X, Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) and other similar air-to-air missiles in the U.S. military's weapons inventory. 

CARL T. KIDD
2004 AEDC Fellow

Mr. Carl T. Kidd is the world's leading expert on heat transfer measurements who consistently developed new and innovative ways to measure heat transfer in the challenging and difficult environment of hypersonic flight. His expertise contributed to the development and survivability of essentially all high-speed flight systems for the Department of Defense as well as NASA. 

From Mr. Kidd's arrival at AEDC as a cooperative student in 1956 until his retirement in 2001, his considerable talents were focused on innovations to ground testing that yielded not incremental, but revolutionary improvements in AEDC heat transfer capabilities. These capabilities have become both recognized and acknowledged as world class. 

Besides Mr. Kidd's pioneering development of micro-miniature heat transfer technologies, he also developed highly accurate calibration techniques to provide engineering traceability and confidence in the use of the gages that he had helped design. At the time of their development, none of these gages were available from a commercial vendor. 

The premier example of his significant contributions is the innovation and development of the various micro-miniature heat transfer gages that have been used extensively to determine heat transfer inputs to high-speed vehicles such as the space shuttle and similar hypersonic applications in AEDC wind tunnels and arc facilities. 

In the early 1980s, he began implementing heat transfer techniques that have been applied under wind tunnel test conditions at AEDC to flight testing of high-speed aircraft-carried stores. 

DR. WENDELL S. NORMAN
2004 AEDC Fellow

Dr. Wendell S. Norman's expertise was invaluable to the nation in not only developing Air Force systems but helping NASA with the Apollo Command Module and Viking Mars reentry system, as well as assisting the ICBM community by assessing foreign Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. 

He began his career at AEDC in 1964, serving as the principal contributor in the Hypervelocity Branch of the von Karman Facility. 

The challenge he and other team members faced and overcame was in getting Tunnel F, an arc heater impulse tunnel, into a mode to deliver valid data. Lessons he learned along the way led to troubleshooting methodologies he successfully applied to ever more complex test articles and to sorting out the discrepancies between data obtained from test and operational flights of ICBMs and space re-entry vehicles. 

In addition to his managerial skills and practical background in testing, he also initiated computer methods for resource control and management of project information. 

Dr. Norman, while serving as director of the Propulsion Wind Tunnel Facility, implemented the consolidation of the various flow diagnostics groups in multiple organizations at AEDC. This innovative group of scientists and engineers grew into a major asset for AEDC, one that became a primary supporter of ballistic missile detection and defense. 

GEN. BERNARD A. SCHRIEVER
2004 AEDC Fellow

General Bernard Adolph Schriever is a long time supporter of AEDC. Initially, he worked with Dr. Theodore von Kárman and others to assure General Arnold's vision of a technically superior Air Force was carried out. This led to the formation of AEDC. In his role as the father of the ICBM program, he relied heavily on AEDC for crucial aerodynamic and rocket propulsion data and was a frequent visitor to the center. 

He also worked with AEDC Fellow Dr. Bernhard Goethert to form the University of Tennessee Space Institute in close collaboration with AEDC. It is for his pioneering efforts in shaping the Air Force and AEDC that General Schriever is recognized as an Honorary AEDC Fellow.

2003

DR. JOHN BENEK
2003 AEDC Fellow

Dr. John Benek served more than 30 years at AEDC and in industry in a range of engineering and management positions. Through his experience in these areas, he has established an international reputation for the development of advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools with a particular emphasis on the application to the test and evaluation of aerospace systems.

In the process, he pioneered numerous innovations in applied CFD that led directly to major new capabilities that became industry standards and also transformed the CFD capability at AEDC.

Benek was instrumental in developing an alliance of government, industry and academia to formulate a more efficient potential simulation capability to support wind tunnel testing. He worked side-by-side with NASA and industry leaders to develop leading edge technologies in CFD.

Benek has proven himself to be a visionary leader, who is capable of carrying out and making his vision practical for applying modeling and simulation in conjunction with ground testing to solve challenging developmental and operational problems for aircraft. His pioneering work has profoundly influenced the evolving role of computer simulations and wind tunnels in the development of flight vehicles.

Benek, who is very active in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), is a Fellow in the organization. He has chaired the Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Technical Committee, and has been active in the AIAA Computational Fluid Dynamics Subcommittee on standards. He also served as adjunct professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Tennessee Space Institute, teaching numerous classes on CFD.

GLENN NORFLEET
2003 AEDC Fellow

Glenn Norfleet began his career at AEDC in 1960, paralleling the nation's entry into the intercontinental ballistic missile era. His technical and managerial leadership over the ensuing 20 years significantly advanced and established the state-of-the-art model for test and evaluation of reentry vehicles and systems. 

Norfleet devoted the earliest years of his career to pioneering research related to the design and development of impulse wind tunnels, which helped to fill an urgent national need that existed at that time. Such tunnels could simultaneously provide the high velocities, temperatures and pressures required for test and evaluation of ballistic missiles reentry payload systems. 

He became a national authority on impulse wind tunnels, aero- ballistic ranges and reentry vehicle research at AEDC. 

Norfleet's most valuable contribution to the Range G test capability was the addition of the revolutionary hypervelocity G-track system, which included the model recovery system. His management approach during this work provided one of the earliest prototypes of what evolved into standard practices at AEDC. 

His awards include the General H. H. Arnold Award from the Tennessee Section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), 1978; and the AIAA, Simulation and Ground Testing Award in 1981. 

Norfleet has held a membership in a number of technical and professional organizations, including the Advanced Ballistic Reentry Systems (ABRES)/AEDC Reentry Vehicle Ground Test Facility Working Group; AIAA Ground Testing and Simulation Committee and Technical Program Committee; and the 1975 AIAA Aerodynamic Testing Conference; Air Force Association, Society of American Mechanical Engineers and Sigma Xi. He has served as a special consultant to the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. 

2002

MARVIN L. MCKEE
2002 AEDC Fellow

Marvin L. McKee, former Deputy General Manager with Micro Craft technology AEDC Operations from 1994 to 1996, was recognized as an AEDC Fellow for his pioneering work with the use of micro-computers and instrumentation systems for inlet-engine compatibility testing, computer-controlled model positioning systems and advanced computer-based testing techniques.
 
While at AEDC, he was responsible for operations, contract negotiations and compliance, and resource management. He led policy formulation and oversight of safety, environmental, quality and security programs throughout Micro Craft Technology AEDC Operations. He developed budgets for major organizational units. he was the principal architect of the system of facility computers, communications networks, analysis and display workstations and system for the Propulsion Wind Tunnel and von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility. Mr. McKee's contributions and outstanding accomplishments to aerospace ground testing span five decades, beginning with his work with magneto hydrodynamics accelerator (MDA) research in the early 1960s. During this time, he developed a theoretical model for electrical discharge through high temperature, supersonic plasma produced by field emissions from cold copper electrodes. This went against accepted theories in this area of science at the time. Field emission operation was proven and all magneto hydrodynamics accelerators and generators are now designed using this phenomenon. 

His work on dynamic stability testing instrumentation, also in the 1960's led to his research, development and applications that formed the basis for subsequent dynamic stability testing at AEDC. 

In the 1970's, Marvin was a major contributor to pioneering the super-sonic inlet distortion instrumentation equipment currently used at AEDC. During this time, he led a team of AEDC, Rockwell International and McDonnell Douglass engineers in the design and implementation of peak inlet distortion. These methods and systems developed for the F-15 are today's standards. 

Mr. McKee is an active member of many professional organizations, including the International Test and Evaluation Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronomics, and the National Management Association. He is also an Instrument Society of America Fellow. During his 20 years as an engineering manager at AEDC, he authored and co-authored numerous reports and papers in the field of aeronautical testing and related systems. 

2001

RICHARD F. 'DICK' AUSTIN
2001 AEDC Fellow
Richard F. "Dick" Austin is recognized as an AEDC Fellow for his visionary leadership of the center's propulsion testing and evaluation, including government-industry alliances, large commercial turbofan testing and independent analysis and evaluation of AEDC test results. 

While at AEDC, he was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Effort A Aeropropulsion contract (ETF and ASTF) including both turbine engine and rocket engine testing from 1980 until his retirement in 1993.
Austin lead AEDC to establish new strategic alliances with other major range and test facility base centers, U.S. industry and strong North American and United Kingdom allies at a time when growing economic challenges from international competitors were replacing the military threats. 

His efforts led to a 20-year alliance with Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines, which positioned the center firmly in the big commercial turbofan test and evaluation business niche. 

For his efforts, Austin was awarded the first Eagle Award in February 1993.
In 1993, Austin led the center in negotiations with Rolls-Royce plc, Derby, England for testing of the Trent 800 commercial turbofan engines. These agreements led to development testing and icing certification testing in ASTF Test Cell C-2 of the Trent 800 to European Joint Aviation Authority/FAA standards and engine application on the Boeing 777.
Austin also led AEDC in the establishment of a 20-year alliance with General Electric to test their commercial engines at the center. 

In August 1993, he led AEDC to signing a partnership agreement with the United Kingdom's Directorate General-Test and Evaluation and the Defense Research Agency to expand cooperation between the center and these organizations beyond the current Data Exchange Agreements.  Later he organized and facilitated the Large Engine Steering Group, composed of AEDC, Pratt & Whitney, General Electric and Rolls-Royce, to address test and evaluation issues on large commercial and military turbofan engines that could be mutually beneficial to all parties. These "sessions" led to joint investments in ASTF capabilities to enable testing of large air-breathing turbofan engines. 

Among his other accomplishments at AEDC are his leadership roles in the development of the first AEDC Corporate Strategic Plan; his authorship and successful negotiation of the AEDC Mission Statement; leadership continuity for ETF during its most critical period with the highest workload in 1984 during its then 30-year history.  He also provided key leadership for the advocacy of the J-6 High Altitude Rocket Facility by identifying the criticality of a national need. 

Austin originated the concept of the Analysis and Evaluation mission role for AEDC, thereby elevating AEDC involvement in weapon system development above that of a "data mill" and providing SPO's and flight test centers with timely weapon system insight, knowledge and risk reduction.
 
He led AEDC teams in the development of independent government Ground test Plans for the F-15, ALCM, STOL DEMO and YF-16/17 programs. He led a similar team in the development of a similar plan for the Advanced Tactical Fighter Joint Fighter Engine program, later known as the F119 for the F-22 Raptor. 

Austin managed and coordinated ground test programs valued at $25 million such as the F-15, B-1B, F-5E, ALCM, F-4E and YF-16/17.

LUTHER NEAL, JR.
2001 AEDC Fellow

Luther Neal Jr. was recognized for his service in expanding test capabilities, ensuring value-added support to customers and facilitating work force development and recognition. 

As director of corporate planning, he revamped the center's planning process by making it more streamlined with an improved focus on shared goals and incorporation of improved implementation procedures. 

He was instrumental in helping AEDC establish and defend the need for new facilities such as J-6 and Decade. He formulated the statement of need for J-6 and its coordination through other Air Force commands. On Decade, he was the center's primary advocate for gaining initial validation of the technical need by multiple program offices to endorsement through various Air Force and DoD channels to congressional lobbying to final site selection by the Defense Nuclear Agency. 

As chief of the aerospace flight dynamics test division, he transitioned shelved continuous pitch technology into conventional testing procedures that resulted in a significant gain in force testing productivity.

He reinstated the Contractor's Technical Advisor Board made up of national recognized experts and oversaw bringing 16S back on line after being on standby for an extended period of time to support critical F-22 and F/A-18 testing. Neal provided venture capital resources for "basement experimenter" with innovative ideas that were not yet mainstream. 

In the teamwork and customer satisfaction arena, Neal fostered a formal Air Force and Contractor Team Partnering Agreement, met routinely with onsite customer representatives, acquired needed office space for users and promoted establishment of a core test team concept to improve both internal and external communications. He also provided support to AEDC's effort to develop a 20-year alliance with Boeing. 

As acting chief of the program planning and marketing division, he promoted broadening the center's participation in early test planning. He assisted with developing procedures and methodologies for AEDC's entry into operation under various funding modes. He also worked with headquarters on early up-front identification and resolution of administrative and policy issues regarding AEDC support of commercial and foreign customers. 

Neal has been involved in a variety of management activities relating to the AEDC support contracts for the past 20 years and has held key leadership roles in each of the five contract competitions since 1977. 

He established a benchmarking effort between AEDC's 16-foot transonic tunnel and DRA's 5-meter low-speed tunnel at Farnborough. This effort demonstrated that the same model could be utilized in both tunnels and that data produced correlated well. 

As chief of the aerospace flight dynamics test division, he significantly increased the training budget of the Effort B work force. As chairman of the Incentive Awards Committee, he implemented the AEDC Employees of the Year Program, and as chairman of the Civilian Policy Board, he promoted establishment of critical new functions including the first Information Systems Office and the Facility Acquisition program Management Office.

2000

DR. DONALD C. DANIEL
2000 AEDC Fellow

Dr. Donald C. Daniel earned recognition as an AEDC Fellow for his outstanding contributions to the development and application of AEDC's computational capabilities and his role in fostering the center's industrial, educational, and international relationships. 

Daniel, a member of the Senior Executive Service is the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Science, Technology and Engineering.
He served as AEDC's chief scientist from 1988 until 1994. 

Daniel's major contribution to AEDC was in advanced computer modeling. He led the center's Advanced Scientific Computer Enhancement Project to reduce high maintenance costs of the center's scientific computers and dramatically increased AEDC's test and analysis capabilities. 

He also led the effort to form an AEDC/UTSI Council and was a member of the Tennessee Valley Aerospace Region's board of directors.  He served on the AIAA board of directors, was a U.S. delegate to the NATO Air Force Armaments Group and Research and Technology Board and served on the University of Florida College of Engineering Advisory Council. He was a trustee for the Motlow State Community College Foundation and a director of the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics and the NATO Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development Flight Mechanics Panel. He served on the UTSI National Advisory Board. 

JERRY H. JONES
2000 AEDC Fellow

Long-term "people" development skills and technical leadership during his 37-year career at AEDC earned Jerry H. Jones recognition as an AEDC Fellow. 

Now retired, he was the deputy general manager and vice-president of Sverdrup Technology, Inc./AEDC Group. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the aeropropulsion contract including both turbine engine and rocket engine testing from 1990 until 1995 and the test support contract until his retirement in 1998. 

Jones began his career in the von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility where he developed numerous aerodynamic testing techniques. He conducted user tests on systems such as the Apollo, Space Shuttle and B-1 bomber.
These tests were pioneer examples of the use of flow-through balances for plume simulation while recording model forces and moments. He developed the standard force data reduction program in VKF tunnels still in use today that allows continuous testing without writing new software. 

Jones directed the group effort to rebuild the J-5 rocket test cell after a rocket motor failure. All project milestones were met; reconstruction was completed ahead of schedule and $1 million under budget. This project won the 1989 Grand Award from the Consulting Engineers Council of Missouri for "Engineering Excellence in Design and Construction Projects," and the "Master Builder Award" from the Sverdrup Corp. 

Jones served as co-chairman, with the AEMTC President, of the Sverdrup/AEMTC Labor Management Council where he was instrumental in establishing and maintaining a constructive, non-adversarial labor-management relationship. He supported Team AEDC efforts by assisting in developing a design shop to enhance labor management relations. 

His efforts in total quality, safety, and security led to reduction in on-the-job injuries for the Sverdrup contract, and improved coordination between safety and security functions. Jones' leadership in this area led to the reduction in the number and length of Sverdup policies and procedures. 

Jones authored more than 50 technical, laboratory, and data reports including "AEDC/VKF Captive Trajectory System," "Store Separation Testing Capabilities in the AEDC/VKF Supersonic and Hypersonic Wind Tunnels," and "AEDC Capabilities for Space Shuttle Abort Staging Testing." 

Jones received the 1997 National Management Association Silver Knight Award for his work at AEDC.

FORREST B. SMITH, JR.
2000 AEDC Fellow

Forrest B. Smith Jr. was honored as an AEDC Fellow for his outstanding service in expanding test capabilities, ensuring value-added support to customers, and facilitating strategic planning. 

Smith retired as deputy, Plans and Requirements, in 1993. He was responsible for identifying future requirements and providing long-range plans to accommodate customer requirements plus strategic planning. 

He was responsible for developing AEDC's strategic planning process that has been widely accepted as setting a national standard for government organizations. That process was recognized with the Federal Quality Institute 1993 National Quality Improvement Prototype Award. 

He was instrumental in establishment of a Strategic Management Group, which defined the AEDC strategic plan. The concept for increased usage of modeling and simulation in development of weapon systems was formulated in an SMG meeting. Integrated Test and Evaluation involving the combination of modeling and simulation and flight test data to meet weapon system development requirements was also conceived in an SMG. 

He served as deputy program manager and director of engineering for the Large Rocket Test Facility J-6 Program. His recommendation that J-6 be acquired with a Request-for-Proposal contract with award fee proved successful. The facility was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. 

Smith helped steer the 1992 study by the National Research Council on "Future Aerospace Ground Test Requirements for AEDC." He was instrumental in starting the joint NASA-DoD Hypersonic Test Investment Plan study. These two studies led to a National Facilities Study and several important national facility initiatives. 

He formed the first international affairs office at AEDC, responsible for organizing international trips, overseeing the many Data Exchange Agreements and developing international partnerships that could lead to the use of the center's facilities. 

Smith started his career at AEDC in 1956 as a test and data analysis engineer with ARO, Inc. He left the center to serve as an Army lieutenant. In 1960, he went to work for the Aeropropulsion Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. In 1964, he returned to AEDC as an Air Force project engineer.

1999

DR. KEITH L. KUSHMAN
1999 AEDC Fellow

Dr. Keith L. Kushman's exceptional leadership of AEDC's strategic planning, mission planning and business execution review processes and extraordinary contributions in the field of technology are what earned him his 1999 AEDC Fellow's recognition. 

Dr. Kushman, is the senior advisor to the Commander and Executive Director. He plans and executes AEDC's business development, political and international liaison, and long-range test facility concept and preliminary design activities. Dr. Kushman facilitated the development and implementation of AEDC's highly successful strategic management process, which is recognized as an AFMC best practice. 

His leadership has produced new commercial pricing and access policies that allow profitable win-win service and partnering relationships with private sector customers. Dr. Kushman established six AF/NASA alliances designed to promote long-term collaboration, increasing customer service levels of national facilities and reducing AF and NASA infrastructure costs. 

From October 1990 to April 1993, he was AEDC's Director of Technology, Deputy for Operations. In this position, he doubled customer-funded research activity, broadening the Center's customer base to include the Army, Environmental Protection Agency and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. He also established AEDC's first cooperative research and development agreements with private sector companies and formed a national computational fluid dynamics alliance involving Air Force, NASA and industry participants that gave each player a two-fold return on investment. 

As the Technical Director, 1988-1990, he established overall and detailed technical scope and direction for AEDC's investment in long-range test requirements studies and advanced facility concepts studies. 

From 1984-1988, he served as Chief, Facility Technology Division, Directorate of Technology, where he was responsible for overall management of an applied research program to develop new and improved test techniques, instrumentation and supporting computational models for aerodynamic propulsion, reentry and space systems. 

He is a member with distinguished service in several technical and professional organizations. He was appointed as the U.S. delegate to the NATO von Karman Institute Technical Advisory Committee, U.S. delegation to NATO Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development Fluid Dynamics Panel, senior member, for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a member of UTSI Support Council, and many others. 

EARL A. PRICE, JR.
1999 AEDC Fellow
Earl A. Price Jr.'s technical leadership and engineering cto advancing state-of-the-art test techniques and his contributions timproving the quality of numerous major DoD aircraft weapon system test and evaluation programs earned him recognition as anAEDC Fellow. 

Mr. Price is the Deputy Director of Sverdrup's Aircraft Systems Test and Evaluation Department. His 33-year career at AEDC is notable by the scope of aerodynamic systems testing he developed and performed. He performed various types of aerodynamic, propulsion integration, and weapons separation tests in AEDC's 16-foot Transonic and Supersonic Wind Tunnels, as well as the 4-foot Transonic Tunnel. 

His most significant technical contributions to AEDC are the test techniques and technology that he developed through his own efforts and his leadership of others that were essential to fundamental mission of AEDC's Propulsion Wind Tunnel - propulsion integration (jet effects) testing. 

As a result of his significant contributions to jet effects testing and his communication of these results through publication and participation in technical societies, Mr. Price has been recognized nationally as one of the foremost experts for obtaining optimum jet-effects aerodynamic data quality. 

His expertise has been used on a number of major military weapon system programs including the F/A-18E/F, F- 16, F-15, B-1 and B-2. 

Mr. Price has been in the forefront of understanding and being sensitive to customer needs. He worked with others in the business area to advocate and establish a new wind tunnel pricing policy based upon hourly rates. This allowed AEDC to accurately predict and track wind tunnel test costs and has been universally praised by customers. 

ROBERT L.P. 'BOB' VOISINET
1999 AEDC Fellow

Robert L.P. (Bob) Voisinet is an AEDC Fellow for his superior technical direction and leadership of the Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel No. 9 and his role in saving that world-class facility from BRAC closure. 

Bob Voisinet was the AEDC White Oak Site Director, under the Space and Missiles Division, responsible for all aspects of facility support at the Maryland site, including interaction with sponsors, hypersonic test and evaluation, and marketing of facility upgrades to the technical community. When the 1995 BRAC Commission called for closing the Navy's White Oak, Md., site, Mr. Voisinet played a key role in convincing the Office of the Secretary of Defense to keep it open. He also laid the foundation for a complex reuse plan that included the transfer of the facility's management to the Air Force, long-term institutional funding, coordination with GSA for host services, and the transfer of core technical personnel. 

Mr. Voisinet has 31 years of experience in the industry, all at White Oak. His early career was in boundary-layer research. In 1984, he became Head of the Aerodynamics Branch, where he was responsible for the management and oversight of all testing in Tunnel 9. During his tenure, he led the expansion of capabilities and the growth in the customer base of Tunnel 9. He convinced program managers and industry that Tunnel 9 could be adapted to provide unique ways to support their programs, and he provided personal technical contributions to them all.

1998

DR. EUGENE J. SANDERS
1998 AEDC Fellow

Gene Sanders has overseen major aerodynamics test programs like the F-22 Raptor, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Joint Strike Fighter in the 1990s as aerodynamics technical director. He's a key player in the commercial alliance with Boeing. Responsible for resource requirements in the '80s, he built programs in improvement and modernization, maintenance and repair and military construction. He designed AEDC's first arc heater and Range S-3 (Chicken Gun) early in his career, and was Range G operations engineer.

W. A. 'ALVIS' TURRENTINEAEDC Fellow: W. A. 'Alvis' Turrentine
1998 AEDC Fellow

Alvis Turrentine is considered the AEDC aeropropulsion expert on fuel flow measurement systems and recognized for being a world-class practitioner of accurate measurement of fuel flows to turbine engines. He developed the aeropropulsion area's standard data reduction methodology - the Turbine Engine Test analysis Standard - still used at the center to define turbine engine performance for determining if engines are in compliance with testing requirements. Turrentine has mentored many engineers and data analysts.

1997

DEAN HERRON
1997 AEDC Fellow
Dean Herron's most noted contributions to AEDC were his efforts to improve productivity and reducing operating costs at the Propulsion Wind Tunnel test facility. He also made an impact in the data quality arena by devising a technique in the early 1970s to solve B-1 Bomber anomaly problems in tests performed in PWT. He's also credited with developing a "hot core" technique for increasing capabilities in a number of the center's test and evaluation facilities.

JIM SIVELLS (1913-1997)
1997 AEDC Fellow
Jim Sivells developed the basic design of the von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility's compressor system, ducting and valving. He was a leading developer of the model injection system now use din all three VKF wind tunnels that's the primary reason AEDC remains at the forefront of hypersonic wind tunnel productivity. He accomplished early feasibility studies on testing related to store separation and store-aircraft compatibility, and developed a FORTRAN code that represents the pinnacle of wind tunnel nozzle design.

DR. VIRGIL SMITH
1997 AEDC Fellow

Dr. Virgil Smith has been a key contributor to AEDC's strategic planning, affecting process design and refinement, facilitation of change, production of plans and developing a vision of future opportunities. His marketing efforts have brought national and international meetings to AEDC, and he's pioneered a working relationship with the leading Russian aerospace center on behalf of the center. Early in his career he helped develop AEDC's computer simulations capabilities.

1996

DR. JAMES JACOCKS
1996 AEDC Fellow

Jacocks' efforts enhanced the center's flight simulation capabilities by helping to bring national recognition to the center in the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). His work with CFD at the center helped earn him the nickname of "the Father of CFD at AEDC." When he started using computers to help predict the interference effects of perforated wind tunnel walls on models, the computer codes of the time were inadequate. So he helped develop new ones that became the cornerstone for 3-D predictions throughout the aerodynamic community.

JOHN RAMPY
1996 AEDC Fellow

Rampy, the center's executive director, aided AEDC through a variety of endeavors that showcased his leadership, insight, vision and mentoring ability. His efforts to lead AEDC toward new goals, cut red tape, empower employees and put the customer first resulted in many achievements for the center. Two examples of how Rampy put the customer first were his leadership role in AEDC forming the Large Turbine Engine Steering Group and the Customer Management Focus Group. These groups seek to learn customer needs and objectives and help uncover specific ways AEDC can meet them.

1995

GLENDON R. LAZALIER
1995 AEDC Fellow

Lazalier's technical leadership and scientific and engineering contributions to the advancing of the state-of-the-art of test and evaluation of propulsion systems supported AEDC's mission in many ways. He pioneered the development and application of a number of airbreathing and rocket propulsion system altitude test and evaluation methodologies at the center. He also led a two-pronged effort to establish an interim fix to an unacceptable noise problem restricting the test capability for the XF119, developing and demonstrating the country's first exhaust gas handling system for turbine engine operation in altitude cells, as well as developing changes to plant operation and maintenance procedures in AEDC's Aeropropulsion Systems Test Facility.

RICHARD K. MATTHEWS (1937-1997)
1995 AEDC Fellow
Matthews left his mark on AEDC in the field of experimental aerothermodynamics. His aerothermodynamics work in the development of several test techniques including thermal mapping, materials testing, environmental testing and a grid lines projection technique were his major contributions. As former head of the aerothermodynamics section at the center, he provided supervision on the engineering staff responsible for performing tests, analyzing data and developing new technologies in this field.

WILLIAM T. STRIKE (1932-1994)
1995 AEDC Fellow
Strike's biggest impact on AEDC was his technical contributions to hypersonics testing in the von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility (VKF). In his early years at the center, he played an important role in the development of jet interaction techniques and performed the analysis of some of this data for some early space shuttle concepts. He was also known for his expertise in understanding hypersonic boundary layer characteristics. One of his last test technique innovations was the planning and directing of the first hypersonic inlet test in Tunnels B and C for the National Aerospace Plane program.

1994

TRAVIS BINION
1994 AEDC Fellow
Binion's 37-year career at AEDC started at the time the 16-foot transonic wind tunnel began operation. He served as the assistant project engineer on the first two turbine engine tests and the first rocket test in 16T and performed the first propulsion simulation test using the von Karman Facility's high-pressure air system. Binion made major contributions to transonic testing techniques and enhanced data quality so that results from 16T are the standard in which other transonic wind tunnels are judged.

DR. EDWARD KRAFT
1994 AEDC Fellow

Kraft's 25 years of experience at AEDC in various engineering and management positions encompassed wind tunnel testing, research and development, integrated test and analysis methodologies and strategic planning. His major contribution to the center was his vision for integrated test and evaluation to improve overall flight simulation and reduce both the time and cost for developing flight vehicles. In the early '80s, he orchestrated this by bringing together computational fluid dynamics personnel and testing and flight mechanics analysis in order to develop a new method of simulating store separation from aircraft.

DR. ROBERT L. YOUNG
1994 AEDC Fellow

Young played a key role in the graduate-level education of AEDC technical personnel through the resident AEDC-University of Tennessee study program and the succeeding University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI). In the fall of 1957, Young became director of the program with duties to manage the graduate program, teach courses and provide technical consulting services to the Air Force and Arnold Research Organization (ARO), AEDC's first contractor. In 1967, he developed and directed a two-week short course about aerospace ground test facilities. Through the course, more than 1,000 Air Force people have learned about using ground test facilities for aerospace system development.

1993

DR. J. LEITH POTTER
1993 AEDC Fellow
Potter made a number a contributions to the analysis of test results, techniques of testing and facility design during his 27 years at AEDC. Perhaps the foremost of his contributions was in designing and using AEDC's unique Tunnel L facility in the '60s. Fundamental research and development testing on early satellites and re-entry bodies that could not be done anywhere else were done at the center. Potter was also a pioneer in the field of boundary layer transition, helping wind tunnel and flight testing engineers better understand their data. He also directed the AEDC group that pioneered the successful use of aeroballistic ranges nose cone ablation and erosion testing.

ROBERT M. WILLIAMS (1912-1995)
1993 AEDC Fellow
From 1954-74, Williams provided the overall leadership of the Arnold Research Organization (ARO) Inc., the first AEDC contractor. During this period, many currently operational AEDC test facilities were built and made operational. Also during that period, support facilities were brought to operational status. As deputy managing director and then president of ARO, Williams was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the center. He was also responsible for developing company policies that were consistent with the unique relationship established between AEDC and ARO.

1992

DR. JOHN C. ADAMS
1992 AEDC Fellow
Adams' contribution to the founding, application and advancement of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) at AEDC was an important guiding force in the use of CFD at the center. Adams began his AEDC career in 1966 as a research supervisor in the von Karman Gas Dynamics facility, where he served until 1980. He later served as technical area supervisor for propulsion computational technology. He is the author or co-author of more than 60 published papers and journal articles, as well as 16 technical reports involving CFD.

A. JOHN CABLE
1992 AEDC Fellow

Cable's technical and leadership contributions in the development and upgrade of AEDC's ballistic ranges played a significant role in enhancing the center's test capabilities. He joined AEDC in 1960, serving as supervisor of range operations launch systems. From 1980-90, he was range operations supervisor, and in the early '90s, was program manager of the $13.3 million ballistic range upgrade project. Before coming to AEDC, he worked at the Royal Armament Research & Development Establishment in the United Kingdom. He is the author or co-author of 59 published papers.

DR. JOHN W. DAVIS
1992 AEDC Fellow
Davis provided critical engineering leadership and management contributions to AEDC test capabilities that ensure the viability of the center's facilities into the next century. Davis began his AEDC career in 1980 serving as director of the Propulsion Wind Tunnel facility for seven years for Calspan Corp., former aerospace flight dynamics contractor at AEDC. Davis later served as vice president and general manager for the company's AEDC operations from 1987-94. He currently serves as AEDC chief scientist, a post he has held since 1994.

1991

MAJ. GEN. LEE V. GOSSICK (1920-2005)
1991 AEDC Fellow
Maj. Gen. Gossick served as AEDC commander from 1964-67. After retiring from the Air Force, he returned to AEDC in 1980 to serve first as director of quality and safety, then as deputy general manager of the AEDC aeropropulsion testing contractor for nine years. He took advantage of both these opportunities to enhance both the quality of AEDC test and evaluation services and the quality of life for the AEDC community. His initiatives to communicate to the Department of Defense and NASA the benefits of ground testing at the center before flight were very successful, increasing the test workload and the work force at AEDC.

DR. WILLIAM F. KIMZEY
1991 AEDC Fellow

Kimzey, in the '60s and early '70s, devised key technology breakthroughs and provided technical management leadership that brought AEDC test capability for development of airframe/propulsion system inlet compatibility into a new era. He was primarily responsible for advancing the state-of-the-art of providing distorted inlet flow into jet engines from single point steady-state capability to a full-flight envelope producing realistic effects, including boundary layer, separation and shock waves. He was a major contributor to the planning, design, installation and operation of his F-15 inlet simulator that played a major role in qualifying the compatibility of the F-15 Eagle inlet and F100 engine. He currently serves as general manager of Sverdrup Technology Inc. (AEDC Group), the center's test contractor.

DR. MARION L. LASTER
1991 AEDC Fellow

Laster made numerous significant contributions to the development of test facilities and technology that has kept AEDC at the cutting edge of aerospace research. As a propulsion specialist, he was involved in the development of facility diffusers for testing rockets, hypersonic ramjets and jet turbine engines in the Rocket/Engine Test Facility in the '60s and '70s. As a technical advisor, director and technical director of AEDC technology programs, he promoted and directed numerous technical advances in testing technology.

DR. SAMUEL R. PATE
1991 AEDC Fellow

Pate provided scientific and engineering contributions to the understanding of the influence of radiative aerodynamic noise and boundary-layer transition at supersonic and hypersonic speeds. He provided the technical leadership, as well as numerous key scientific and engineering contributions to over a decade of intense research. Based on his aerodynamic-noise-transition correlations, Pate developed a computer code that accurately predicted transition locations on sharp flat plates and sharp slender cones of all sizes of conventional supersonic-hypersonic wind tunnels for the Mach number range 3 to 15. The source code and a detailed users guide were widely disseminated and used within the international wind tunnel community.

1990

RUDY W. HENSEL
1990 AEDC Fellow
From the mid '50s to 1969, Hensel provided the technical and management leadership to bring AEDC's transonic and large supersonic wind tunnels from construction into operation. He then provided leadership for all phases of the activation of the center's 16-foot wind tunnels ranging from training engineers and operators to identifying and implementing a number of design and hardware changes. After the tunnels became operational, he devoted much of his energy to developing the highest possible productivity and best possible data from these high-powered wind tunnels. He also directed the restoration of one of the tunnel's compressors following a catastrophic failure in the '60s.

DR. WHEELER K. MCGREGOR
1990 AEDC Fellow
McGregor provided technical and scientific leadership contributions in advancing the state-of-the-art in the area of non-intrusive diagnostic techniques and instrumentation. He provided technical leadership to a team of scientists and engineers in the development and application of real-time radiography to observe and quantify solid rocket motor anomalies and performance during operation and non-intrusive spectroscopic diagnostic techniques and instrumentation to measure inlet and exhaust flow field parameters of propulsion systems.

ROBERT E. SMITH, JR.
1990 AEDC Fellow

Early in his 39-year career at AEDC, Smith conceived, designed and developed the basic engine thrust measuring system that set the standard for determining air-breathing test performance in the center's altitude test cells throughout the engine test community for many years. He led experimental research efforts in supersonic combustion, and developed and refined hardware design methods for the first exhaust gas ejector-diffusers for the center's engine test cells. His early advocacy of using computers in conjunction with engine testing led to the development of a first-generation AEDC system to provide on-line comparison of experimental results with math model results.

1989

DENNIS D. HORN
1989 AEDC Fellow

Horn became associated with arc heaters in the early '60s. Following 15 years of technical involvement with arc-heater test units -- used in high-temperature/high-pressure testing of materials for ablation and erosion effects associated with re-entry into Earth's atmosphere -- his career has become synonymous with development and troubleshooting of arc heater facilities and test techniques. He became the primary cultivator and technical expert for developing and advancing the segmented arc heater from a two megawatt laboratory research device to the premier high performance facility today.

ROBERT O. DIETZ (1922-2008)
1989 AEDC Fellow
Dietz was responsible for advising AEDC's commander on policy, providing guidance and prioritizing all planning activities. These special responsibilities involved application of professional judgment, technical expertise and engineering management. He was also responsible for the conception, planning and funding for many new ground test facilities and the allocation, analysis and management review of resource utilization for operation of AEDC. He played a major role in the planning, growth, operations and accomplishments at AEDC for more than 28 years.

DONALD R. EASTMAN (1918-1992)
1989 AEDC Fellow
Eastman's AEDC career started in 1951, working on design and construction of wind tunnels and engine altitude test facilities before serving as chief scientist. He served in that capacity from 1964-75 and was involved in technical management, research and development programs and development testing activities in wind tunnels, altitude engine testing facilities, and space environment facilities for aircraft, missiles, spacecraft and their propulsion systems.

DR. BERNHARD H. GOETHERT (1907-1988)
1989 AEDC Fellow
Goethert served as chief scientist for Air Force Systems Command from 1964-66. He first came to AEDC in 1952 as chief of the Propulsion Wind Tunnel (PWT). In 1963 he was research vice president and chief scientist for ARO, Inc. at AEDC. His work in U.S. aerospace ground testing began at the end of World War II at Wright Field, Ohio and concluded as dean of the University of Tennessee Space Institute. Considered the father of rocket testing at AEDC, his most significant contribution was convincing the U.S. rocket propulsion community of the necessity to add ground tests at altitude conditions as a necessary step in the full-scale development and qualification process for liquid and solid rocket propulsion systems.

DR. JAMES G. MITCHELL
1989 AEDC Fellow

Mitchell is an internationally recognized expert in aerospace ground testing and a former U.S. member on the Propulsion and Energetics Panel of the Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development, the technical arm of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He effectively campaigned to reduce the cost of testing at AEDC while improving test and evaluation quality. Mitchell, who began his AEDC in 1958, was chief scientist at the center from 1983-88, when he retired and then accepted a job with Micro Craft Inc. in Tullahoma, Tenn.

DR. JACK D. WHITFIELD (1929-1995)
1989 AEDC Fellow
A prolific author with more than 50 technical books, papers and articles published, Whitfield was former head of Sverdrup Corp.'s five regional groups. He provided technical and managerial, as well as numerous personal research contributions advancing aerospace ground testing at AEDC, including more than a decade of intensive research and development of the impulse electric-arc heated hypersonic wind tunnels. His career at AEDC began in 1954 as an engineer at the center's von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility.