AIAA Announcements 2019 AIAA Election Results

AIAA is pleased to announce the results of its 2019 election.

AIAA President-Elect
Basil Hassan, Sandia National Laboratories

Director–Region IV
Sarah Shull, NASA Johnson Space Center

Director–Region V
Orval “Rusty” Powell, Millennium Engineering and Integration Company

Director–Aerospace Outreach Group
Tucker Hamilton, United States Air Force

Director–Integration Group
Peter Hartwich, Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology

Director–Information Systems Group
Allan “Terry” Morris, NASA Langley Research Center

Director–Propulsion and Energy Group
Joaquin Castro, Aerojet Rocketdyne

The newly elected will begin their terms of office in May 2019.

AIAA Announcements Annual Business Meeting Notice 

Notice is hereby given that the Annual Business Meeting of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics will be held at the Hilton Crystal City at Washington Reagan National Airport, Arlington, VA on Monday, 13 May 2019, at 1:00 PM. 

Christopher Horton,
AIAA Governance Secretary

AIAA Foundation Making an Impact: AIAA Foundation Classroom Grant Program

A student presentation using a model purchased with the AIAA Classroom Grant. Credit: Kati Searcy

The AIAA Foundation Classroom Grant program provides opportunities for teachers to encourage and support STEM activities in their classrooms. Since the program started in 1998, more than 1,300 grants have been awarded, creating rewarding activities for more than 155,000 students in the classroom. Each school year, grants of up to $500 are awarded to worthy projects that significantly influence student learning.

Each grant supports a clear connection to STEM subjects with an emphasis on aerospace. Applicants must be current AIAA Educator Associate Member (and the membership is free!), and no more than two grants will be supported per school per year. Grant requests have funding STEM demonstration kits and supplies, software, and more. 

“I so appreciate the models I have been able to purchase with AIAA Foundation Classroom Grants,” said Kati Searcy, a teacher at New Prospect Elementary School in Alpharetta, Georgia, and an AIAA Educator Associate Member. “They say ‘a picture is worth a 1,000 words.’ If that’s the case, 3-D models are worth a million words!

“In our classroom, we have models of the Shuttle Transportation System, the Saturn V rocket, the Orion space capsule, and the Apollo lunar lander. The students love gently touching these models, looking at the details, and comparing/contrasting them. Thank you for your generous funding — you are helping to inspire the next generation of space explorers.”

As a NASA Solar System Ambassador, Searcy takes the models on the road with her when she presents programs to groups outside of her classroom and school. “I have gone to several other schools to share space-focused presentations. This summer, I will be presenting at several library summer book club programs.”

Kaci Heins, a former teacher at Northland Preparatory Academy and an AIAA Educator Associate Member, added “As an educator, AIAA has been an amazing resource for professional development workshops and grants to enrich classroom curriculum. Students have launched rockets hundreds of feet into the air and soldered circuit boards for the underwater remotely operated vehicles. My hope is to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, and AIAA helped me to provide those meaningful experiences in the formal classroom and now the informal science center classrooms at Space Center Houston.”

Join us as we continue to inspire teachers and students to advance aerospace by giving to the AIAA Foundation. For more information and to give, please visit www.aiaafoundation.org.If you are a teacher and would like to become an AIAA Educator Associate Member, please visit www.aiaa.org/educator.

Section News AIAA Albuquerque Section's 60th Anniversary Celebration

Hal Behl (left) displays his IAS and ARS membership certificates with help from Robert Malseed. Credit: AIAA Albuquerque Section

By Robert A. Malseed, Section Treasurer

The AIAA Albuquerque Section met on 21 February to celebrate the section’s 60th anniversary with Robert Malseed giving the presentation. The first Albuquerque section meeting of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences (IAS) was held on 17 February 1959. Colonel Paul H. Dane, professor and head of the Thermodynamics Department at the U.S. Air Force Academy was the speaker and the late Alan Pope was the first section chair. In January 1963, the IAS and the American Rocket Society (ARS) merged to form AIAA.

The presentation covered how the section has grown and listed notable accomplishments, annual activities, tours, and outreach activities. One of our members, Hal Behl, joined the IAS as a student in 1940, and joined the ARS later. After the presentation his old IAS and ARS membership certificates were displayed.

Award Announcements The 2019 20 Twenties

AIAA members have been named winners of Aviation Week Network’s award program: “Tomorrow’s Technology Leaders: The 20 Twenties.” The 2019 winners were honored during Aviation Week’s 62nd Annual Laureate Awards on 14 March. Credit: Chris Zimmer

Since 2013, the Aviation Week Network and AIAA have been recognizing young, rising stars within A&D through the annual 20 Twenties program. Universities around the world nominate their top students who are working to solve challenges within the industry, and 20 exceptional winners are chosen. This year’s honored students were overwhelmingly passionate about advocating STEM with youth and the public, spending many volunteer hours on projects and organizations with the aim of increasing awareness and excitement about STEM.

Section News Albuquerque Section Participates in Two STEM Events

Albuquerque Section STEM event. Credit: AIAA Albuquerque Section

By Robert Malseed, Section Treasurer

Several of the AIAA Albuquerque Section officers and AIAA University of New Mexico Student Branch members recently participated in two STEM events. On 2 February, they hosted their annual “Discover STEM Day” at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, and on 23 February they hosted tables at the annual “Super STEM Saturday” at the Albuquerque Convention Center. Many families stopped by the tables and flew a desktop flight simulator, learned about space-related subjects, learned how radar and IR-guided air-to-air Falcon missiles worked, picked up some fun toys, and obtained information about careers in aerospace. The DreamFlyer motion-based flight simulator was at both events and young visitors were delighted to be able to fly it.

Section News Hampton Roads 2019 Associate Fellows

AIAA Hampton Roads newest Associate Fellows. Credit: Melissa Carter

The AIAA Hampton Roads Section celebrated its 2019 Associate Fellows at a 20 February reception. (Left to right) Jonathan Ransom, Bret Stanford, Kevin Rivers, Tian-Bing Xu, Vanessa Aubuchon, Brian Mason, Michelle Munk, Michael J. Doty, Gautam H. Shah, and Christopher Bahr. Not shown: Bonnie Allen, Jan-Renee Carlson, Jared Grauer, Christopher Johnston, Michael Logan, Lisa Monaco, Travis Turner, and K. Chauncey Wu.

Obituary AIAA Fellow Broadwell Died in June 2018

James Eugene (“Gene”) Broadwell, 97, passed away on 22 June 2018.

Broadwell graduated from Georgia Tech in 1942 with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 1944 he earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology, having been sent to Caltech for special training while in the Army Air Forces. In 1952, he earned a Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering from the University of Michigan.

From 1942 through 1946, Broadwell served in the U.S. Army Air Forces, working on aircraft engine design and development at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.

At Georgia Tech, he was a member of Pi Tau Sigma, Honorary Mechanical Engineering Fraternity and of the Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Scholastic Society. He was elected to the Georgia Tech Engineering Hall of Fame in 2014. At both Caltech and the University of Michigan, he was a member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society. In 1987, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (Aerospace), “For contributions to the understanding and management of turbulent mixing with application to chemical laser design.”

Broadwell worked at TRW in southern California for many years. He is the author of numerous scientific papers, often with colleagues at TRW and at Caltech.

Obituary AIAA Associate Fellow Phillips Died in June 2018

Frederick C. Phillips, 103, died on 30 June 2018.

After graduating magna cum laude in Aeronautical Engineering from New York University in 1938, and completing the course requirements for a master’s degree at M.I.T., Phillips accepted a position as an aerodynamicist at the Glenn L. Martin Co. in Baltimore, where he worked throughout World War II. As well as his aerodynamic work during the war, Phillips also taught the subject at night school at Johns Hopkins University.

In 1947, he took a position as a Professor of Aircraft Design at the Brazilian Air Ministry in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1951, Phillips moved to the McDonnell Aircraft Corp. in St. Louis, MO, before accepting a position at Canadair Ltd. in Montreal, Canada, in 1955. 

After 25 years at Canadair as the director of a variety of aircraft productions, Phillips retired in 1981.

Obituary Associate Fellow Blake Died in November 2018

Robert W. Blake passed away 16 November 2018. He was 97.

After living on military bases in Spain and Panama with his family, Blake won a scholarship to MIT where he majored in aeronautical engineering and graduated with a B.S. in 1941. He completed the ROTC Advanced Course, but was not commissioned then due to being under age. In 1944 he joined the Navy V5 program and became a naval aviator during the war.

After graduating from MIT, Blake joined Pan American Airways as an apprentice engineer at Pan American’s new seaplane base at La Guardia Field, starting a 41-year career that led him from New York to assignments in Afghanistan, France, Seattle, and back to New York. In his first year at Pan Am he was asked to join the staff of Andre Priester, VP and Chief Engineer of Pan Am, who needed an engineer able to write a good letter. Blake worked as assistant to Priester for ten years, much of that time working with airplane manufacturers—Douglas, Lockheed, de Havilland and Boeing—developing aircraft for Pan Am.

From 1962 to 1965, Blake worked in Afghanistan as VP & General Manager of Ariana Afghan Airlines, an affiliate of Pan Am. Later in his career he was liaison to Boeing for Pan Am. In 1982 he took delivery of the airline’s last jets from Boeing and retired from Pan Am the same year.

Obituary AIAA Fellow Hood Died in February 2019

Edward E. Hood Jr., former General Electric Vice Chairman, passed away on 3 February. He was 88.

Hood earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from North Carolina State University, and then served three years with the U.S. Air Force.

He began his 36-year career with General Electric as a design engineer in the Flight Propulsion Division in 1957. His work with nuclear propulsion and new design concepts for gas turbine engines led to him being named head of GE’s Supersonic Transport Project in 1962.

In 1968, he was elected a vice president and became general manager of the Commercial Engine Division, leading GE’s re-entry into the commercial aircraft engine market with the development of the DC-10 aircraft engine (CF6). He was promoted to vice president and group executive of GE’s International Group in 1972.

In 1979 he was elected vice chairman and executive officer, a position he held until he retired in 1993.

He served as chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association Board of Governors, was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and served as the vice chairman of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. In retirement, he served as a director on multiple boards, including Lockheed Martin Corp., Gerber Scientific Inc., Lincoln Electric Co., Martin Marietta Corp. and Flight Safety International.

Obituary Associate Fellow Hobokan Died in February 2019

Andrew Hobokan died on 8 February at the age of 96.

Hobokan joined the U.S. Navy in 1941, serving on the USS Matagorda during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, graduating cum laude with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1960.

In 1960, he joined NASA, and he managed major segments of the Mercury and Gemini spacecraft programs in St. Louis, MO. In 1967, Hobokan was appointed NASA’s Resident Manager Apollo Spacecraft Program Office at the Grumman Corporation in Bethpage, NY, where he guided the production and check-out of the Apollo Lunar Modules. In 1969 he received the NASA Exceptional Service Award.

Later, Hobokan was transferred to Houston where he became manager of the Manufacturing and Test Office for the Space Shuttle Orbiter. He was appointed a Charter Member of the Senior Executive Service by President Carter. He retired from NASA in 1978 and the Naval Reserves in 1980, after attaining the rank of Captain.

Obituary AIAA Honorary Fellow Muellner Died in February 2019

Lt. Gen. George Muellner, U.S. Air Force (retired), AIAA Honorary Fellow and AIAA Past President, died on 11 February. He was 75.

In 1967, Muellner earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois. He also earned a master’s degree in aeronautical systems management from the University of Southern California in 1974, a master’s degree in electrical engineering from California State University in 1979, and a master’s degree in business administration from Auburn University in 1983.

Muellner entered the Air Force through the ROTC program at the University of Illinois. Most of his career was spent as a fighter pilot, fighter weapons instructor and test pilot with more than 5,300 hours in F-4, A-7, F-15 and F-16 aircraft. He completed 690 combat missions in Vietnam flying the F-4, and during Operation Desert Storm he commanded the Joint STARS deployment, logging another 50 combat sorties. He commanded a classified test squadron, the Joint STARS Squadron and a tactical fighter wing. 

As director of requirements at Air Combat Command, Muellner orchestrated the operational requirements for all of the combat air forces and then became the mission area director for tactical, command, control and communications (C3), and weapons programs for the assistant secretary of the Air Force, acquisition. As the program executive officer for the Joint Advanced Strike Technology Program, he created this joint service development activity.

His last assignment in 1995 was as principal deputy for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition in Washington, D.C. Muellner retired from the U.S. Air Force as a lieutenant general in 1998 after serving for 31 years.

Muellner then joined The Boeing Company where he served as vice president and general manager and later as president of Boeing’s Phantom Works advanced research and development unit. He later became president of advanced systems, integrated defense systems. He retired from Boeing in 2008.

Muellner joined AIAA in 1997 and was AIAA president from 2008 to 2009. An active member, he also served on numerous committees, including as chair of the Honors and Awards Committee, chair of the Crichlow Trust Prize Selection Committee, chair of the Fellow Selection Committee, and chair of the Board of Directors Nomination Committee. He also was a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, Defense Science Board Intelligence Task Force, and vice chairman of the Board of the Aerospace Corporation. He was a longtime member of the Air Force Association (AFA), as well, holding many positions over the years.

Among his many honors, Muellner received the Defense and Air Force Distinguished Service Medals and the Legion of Merit; he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering; a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots; a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, AFA’s Theodore von Karman award; the National Defense Industrial Association’s Bob Hope Distinguished Citizen Award; the Aerospace Test Pilot Walk of Honor; and Aviation Week’s Curtis Sword Award.

Acknowledging the benefit that he received from a scholarship while at the University of Illinois, Muellner gave back to the next generation by creating scholarships to provide similar opportunities for engineering students. Since 2014, the $5,000 AIAA Foundation Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering has been awarded annually to an undergraduate student studying in a field of science or engineering encompassed by the technical activities of AIAA.

Obituary AIAA Fellow Lee Died in February 2019

Thomas J. “Jack” Lee, former director of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, died 24 February. He was 83.

Mr. Lee graduated from the University of Alabama in 1958 with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering. He later received an honorary doctorate from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

He began his professional career in 1958 as an aeronautical research engineer with the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency. When it was formed in 1960, Lee transferred to the Marshall Center as a systems engineer with the Center’s Centaur Resident Manager Office in San Diego. From 1963 to 1965, he was Resident Project Manager for the Pegasus Meteoroid Detection Satellite Project in Blandenburg, MD, and from 1965 to 1969 was chief of the Center’s Saturn Program Resident Office at the Kennedy Space Center.

He served as assistant to the Technical Deputy Director of Marshall from 1969 to 1973 and became program manager of the Spacelab Program Office in 1974. As manager of the Spacelab Program Office, he was responsible for NASA’s work with the European Space Agency in the development of Spacelab, a multipurpose reusable laboratory for Earth orbital science activities.

In 1980, Lee became the deputy director of Marshall until his appointment as the Center’s director in 1989. He served as the sixth director of the center from July 1989 to January 1994.

After he retired, he cofounded LWI, an engineering consulting firm. He later founded Lee & Associates, LLC, a systems engineering consulting firm, and served as president until his death. In 1992, Lee received the von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management “for exceptional dedication and substantial engineering and management contributions to the science of space flight over the span of three decades.”