AEDC names new executive director Published Dec. 30, 2008 By 208210 Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. -- Michael Britt Covington is Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) new executive director. In this role, Covington will be responsible for assisting the center commander in overseeing the daily operations of Arnold. Covington, who reports for duty at AEDC Monday, comes from Tinker Air Force Base (AFB), Okla., where he was the technical director for the 76th Maintenance Wing. There he was responsible for technical leadership of the largest wing at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. The 76th Maintenance Wing performs depot maintenance on the KC-135, B-1, B-52 and E-3 aircraft and maintenance and overhaul of F100, F101, F108, F110, F118, F119 and TF-33 engines. He previously served as deputy director of the 77th Aeronautical Systems Group at Brooks City-Base, Texas, where he was responsible for $150 million budget and lead a 300-person group providing advanced performance, survival and force protection capabilities to U.S. and allied air, ground and naval forces through development, production and sustainment of human-centered systems including aircrew life support, egress, survival, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense, aeromedical evacuation equipment, medical information, Air Force uniforms and aircraft mishap analysis. He has served as chief engineer and engineering technical director for the Contractor Logistics Support Aircraft Program Office at Tinker. He was responsible for operational safety, suitability and accountability for 23 Air Force aircraft systems including the KC-10, C-12, C-20, C-21, C-26, C-38, C-9, E-4, E-9, VC-25 (Air Force One), T-43 and Air Force Academy aircraft. Covington has also served for seven years as an Air Force aircraft mishap investigator and technical advisor to the Air Force chief of safety at headquarters Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M. He specialized in human survivability, crashworthiness, structures, mechanical systems and landing gear. Covington began his civil service career as an aerospace structural engineer at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins AFB, Ga., in 1986. He worked on C-130s and C-141s. He later served as the C-130 Aircraft Structural Integrity program manager. Additionally, he served as the C-130 Structural and Mechanical Engineering branch chief and served for a short time as the C-130 chief engineer where he supervised and managed the C-130 technical staff. He has earned a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from Auburn University, a Master of Science in engineering management from Mercer University and has attended the Air Command and Staff College as well as the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Ala. -AEDC-