SFTE Fellows for 2024 Announced
Every year the Society recognizes several individuals by electing them to the grade of Fellow. This is the honors those who have served with notable distinction both within the field of Flight Testing and also served the Society.In 2024 a total of three new Fellows will be formally inducted at the Annual Awards Dinner in Seattle on October 17th. We hope you will join us in person or virtually to welcome the following outstanding individuals into the Fellowship. Registration is still open!
Jim FawcettF
 |
"When I joined the SFTE, I was barely 5 years into my career as a Flight Test Engineer. It seemed like a good way to meet like-minded people and to learn more about the exciting world of flight test. Now, 15 years later, those two concepts hold just as true. Every SFTE symposium or event that I have attended over the years has let me meet up with old friends and great experts, as well as the next generation of FTEs. This inspires and educates me and reminds me that there is just as much excitement out there as ever. I am honored that my fellow members of the SFTE have taken the time to listen to my contributions - formal and less formal! - at these events and consider me to be worthy of recognition as a Fellow, even if in my mind's eye I'm still the new guy in town who just paid his first membership fee." |
Jim Fawcett is a Lead Flight Test Engineer (LFTE) working for Airbus and based in Toulouse, France. He graduated from the French flight test academy EPNER in 2008. Since 2012 he has been a development LFTE specializing in flight management systems, communications (voice and datalink), cockpit design, display systems, and radio navigation. He is qualified to operate as LFTE on all Airbus aircraft types and has logged nearly 3000 hours on test flights. Prior to attending EPNER, Jim worked for 2 years as a flight test support engineer, then an additional four years as a senior flight test installation engineer, working the flight test instrumentation installations, and serving as the head of the A380 FTI package. Jim has been a member of SFTE since 2011, and a senior member since 2019, and is also a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Further, Jim is a UK Chartered Engineer, fluent in English and French, with professional knowledge of German, and holds a private pilot’s license.
Some of the highlights of Jim’s professional accomplishments as an LFTE for Airbus include:
- major contributions to the certification of A350-900/1000, A400M, A320neo, A330neo and A321XLR aircraft types.
- successful planning and execution of A321LR, ACJ320neo and ACJ319neo flight test campaigns from first flight to certification (flight test campaign leader).
- expertise in extreme long-duration flights such as 16h on an A319, or a direct flight from Europe to Australia with an A350.
- strong role in the on-going discussions with airworthiness authorities concerning the 5G/RadAlt interference issue.
Jim has also provided his insight and expertise on various on-line webinar presentations, such as Tech council "red flag events" and SFTE/AIAA "lunch and learn". Finally, Jim serves as a flight test ambassador to his community via regular participation in STEM activities, test aircraft visits, and school visits and presentations, along with mentoring for future flight test engineers.
David RobertsF
 |
"Over the years, participation in SFTE events has introduced me to so many amazing professionals and exposed the diversity of flight test projects we all plan and execute. Reading technical papers, watching presentations, and the opportunity to speak with the author(s) has been so insightful from a lessons learned perspective, and instructional with respect to shared ideas and creativity with respect to test design. As I moved through my flight test career, the opportunities to give and receive in this vein allowed me to learn what others in the industry and government, in the U.S. and abroad are doing in this complex and dynamic hands-on field of engineering. As a member on symposium panels, as session chairs, and on the national board of directors, I had opportunities to give back and support the incredibly rewarding work we do as flight test engineers and promote the value and significance of being a member of our professional society. At the local chapter level, SFTE provides me and our test organization a venue to do the same among my Pax River peers and test engineering family; we live, work, and do flight test together!" |
In his 38-year career, Dave has acted as a groundbreaking leader in air vehicle and weapons testing for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. He has been a Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Chief Test Engineer (CTE) for 20 of his 38 years of service, both at the Atlantic Test Range (ATR), overseeing testing on Major Range Test and Facility Base (MRTFB) infrastructure, and at the Unmanned Test Squadron (UX-24), evaluating U.S. Navy/Marine Corps Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Counter-UAS (C-UAS) systems. His sustained record of professional excellence has served as a guiding force in fielding all classes of manned/unmanned aircraft and C-UAS systems for the Navy/Marine Corps. In addition, Mr. Roberts has served SFTE and the greater flight test community throughout his career.
After earning his BS in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1989, Mr. Roberts was a Project Flight Test Engineer for aircraft ground support equipment, and later the Rotary Wing/Force Ordnance Test and Evaluation (T&E) Branch Head. Dave led testing of weapons on over 20 major aircraft programs such as the F-14, F/A-18, C-130, H-60, H-3, and MV-22. He pioneered the use of gun-mounted cameras to safely expand gun envelopes on the H-60 and H-3 and designed and integrated high-rate-of-fire feed and discharge systems for crew-served weapons.
As the ATR CTE from 2003-2009, Mr. Roberts supported a wide array of DOD programs, uniquely benefiting every command and aircraft type within the NAWCAD. During that period, he supervised external customer test planning and execution for all MRTFB infrastructure at NAWCAD and accepted risk on behalf of the Range Commander. The diverse breadth of tests he oversaw across 998 projects covered near lighting strikes on V-22 Ospreys, electromagnetic pulse bursts on nuclear command and control aircraft, B-52 radar cross section testing, ballistic missile target launchers, and weapons effectiveness testing on ships. In 2005, he worked with NAVSEA to test weapon impacts on USS America (CV-66), which culminated in a sink exercise that provided survivability data for aircraft carrier development. As the ATR CTE, Mr. Roberts applied exceptional engineering judgment across a broad set of disciplines from ship stability and ballistics to electromagnetic pulses and UAS control schemes, which provided significant impact across the DOD.
With UX-24 from 2009 to the present, Mr. Roberts has served as the CTE for Navy/Marine Corps UAS and C-UAS systems. In this capacity, he has served as the technical authority and mentor to senior leaders on UAS and C-UAS test design, risk management, and execution. Over his 14 years at UX-24, he has guided teams in conducting 1,019 test projects covering over 13,410 flight hours on systems such as the RQ-7, RQ-20B, RQ-21, TRV-150, MQ-8B/C, MQ-9A, MQ-25, and MQ28. In addition, he has developed processes and built capabilities that have delivered sustained T&E excellence for a range of ACAT I-IV programs. As a founding leader in UAS test, he built the UX-24 culture around integrity, technical excellence, and innovative problem solving. He led the groundbreaking developmental and operational testing of the MQ-8B and MQ-8C, the Navy’s only shipboard large UAS. He mentored this vital cadre of UAS ship suitability testers, which now provide crucial experience for MQ-25 and Unmanned Logistics testing. He also developed UX-24 into a Naval Special Warfare test agent. He streamlined the test planning and airworthiness process for NSW payloads on the RQ-21, accelerating capability delivery to deployed operators. In response to multiple Joint Urgent Operational Need statements, he quickly stood up a C-UAS team to evaluate systems that protect our most vital national infrastructure. Meanwhile, he guided infrastructure improvements that made Webster Field a nationally designated C-UAS Center of Excellence. He also pioneered the testing of airborne launched UAS, a critical component of the Navy/USMC Future Vertical Lift programs. He continues to push the state-of-the-art in T&E by leading American/Australian testers in developing methods to evaluate autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft, a vital component of our Air Wing of the Future.
In addition to these accomplishments, Mr. Roberts’ most personal impacts have been through his strong commitment in developing the next generation of flight test engineers and test pilots. Dave has mentored 15 Chief Test Pilots at ATR and UX-24, coaching them to manage risk judiciously while empowering junior flight testers. He developed UAS curriculum for NAVAIR’s College of T&E, while serving as a lecturer and panel member. He taught undergraduate Fluid Mechanics for 9 years with John Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. He championed the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) student competition for 7 years, while also serving as a competition judge. Meanwhile, he continues to improve UAS policies in range manuals, draft training materials for engineers, and co-author test-planning handbooks for NAWCAD to make T&E more efficient/effective for the Sailors and Marines.
Beyond his extensive career in flight test, Mr. Roberts has served the Society in multiple capacities. He served as a Director on the International Board of Directors from 2008-2010. Dave served as a Session Chairmen for the 2006 International Symposium in Reno, NV, and on the 2010 International Symposium Committee in National Harbor, MD as a Paper Chairman. He recently provided a very informative presentation on UAS Test Design and Risk Mitigation Strategies at a Patuxent River Chapter meeting. He also participated as a panel member for the Technical Q&A Session at the 2023 International Symposium in Annapolis, MD. His high standards of personal integrity and passion for T&E has left an indelible impression on hundreds of engineers, pilots, and students that he has mentored during his 38-year career. His sustained superior performance and total dedication to our profession are the hallmarks of a truly exemplary lifetime of service to our Navy, Marine Corps, and nation. He embodies the very spirit of this society.
Dr Panos VitsasF
 |
"Before joining SFTE I could never imagine the effect a professional organization could have in my career. I clearly remember the first time I attended an Annual SFTE Symposium, the warm welcoming environment, the high professional quality of the Members and the overall inspiring effect the event had on me. Since then, the Society has highly supported my evolution as a flight tester through its resources (my favorite being the papers database) and technical events, but most importantly through connecting me with like-minded professionals all around the world. Without exaggeration there is always something exciting to learn and be inspired by every Member I meet and that makes being part of SFTE such a valuable experience. I will always be grateful to the Society and very honored to be a part of it." |
Panos has been a strong supporter of SFTE for many years. He has brought his technical background and knowledge of aerospace to our profession of flight test and has been a tremendous supporter of SFTE serving on the International Board as VP, Director, and Membership & Planning Committees Chair. He has also been the Canadian Chapter president, European Chapter VP, and chairman of the 2022 SFTE international Symposium in Canada and even serves as a cross over to AAIA’s flight test technical committee.
Panos began his academic studies in Greece where he graduated first from his Aeronautical Engineering class and was awarded a scholarship to complete the MSc in Human Factors and Aviation Safety in Cranfield University. Being excited by research he continued as a Teaching and Research Assistant while completing his PhD in Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Patras working with NLR and DLR on aerodynamic data analysis and CFD. Following completion of his PhD studies he moved to Canada in 2012 and after completing the FTE Diploma course under ITPS sponsorship, he became a Flight Test Engineer and Instructor at ITPS, playing a large role in the development of the curriculum and the growth of ITPS to its current status.
During his time at ITPS he participated in flight testing of all ITPS acquired aircraft and developed a variety of academic flight test modules and exercises over a broad range of topics including performance modelling and verification, parameter identification, MIL-specs and military systems. He was the initial developer of multiple simulation training platforms including the F-16 Variable Stability Engineering simulator, UAS flight test simulator and TM room. From 2020 to 2023 he served as ITPS Chief Academic Officer establishing two recognized Master of Science programs in flight testing.
Panos, since he's been a member of the profession and the Society, has consistently provided vision, energy, and results. His instructional career at ITPS means he has influenced a large international cadre. He is a credit to the Society. He continues to be a huge proponent of the Society across the globe and serves as a very strong technical representative for SFTE and aviation in general.
Panos holds Canadian and EASA commercial pilot licenses and has flown as an FTE or pilot on more than 30 different aircraft types. He has more than 15 papers in international journals and SFTE/SETP symposia and he has served as a reviewer in scientific journals. Panos has received multiple awards including the 2023 SFTE Director Award. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and an AIAA Associate Fellow.