About Me
Where to begin…
I guess I’m your typical mad scientist. I can’t remember a damn thing, and if I do, it’s usually an obscure piece of trivia.
I work with fracture critical jet engine parts found on F-15s and F-16s, mostly. I’ve also worked on T700 helicopter engines as well. I’ve recently started working on F-22 engines. My work involves ensuring the safety and overall integrity of the engine.
Ironically, my degree is in nuclear physics. I graduated in 1995 from the Center for Nuclear Research at Kent State University. My thesis was entitled Inelastic Electron Scattering on Oxygen 16 at Backward Angles. Pickup your copy today at the MIT Bates Laboratory Library!
Of all the guys I went to school with, only one is working in his field.
I work at Wyle Laboratories, formerly General Dynamics, formerly Veridian, formerly Veda, formerly Arvin Calspan, formerly Systems Research Laboratories. My desk hasn’t really moved since I started, other than to change offices. My job is still the same, although I’ve moved up the scale a bit.
So what’s so unusual!! I changed majors three times as an undergraduate. Graduated with a general engineering degree, took a masters in Mechanical Engineering, and all but my dissertation for a doctorate. I never have worked in the field I trained for. So what!
I went on to flight test most of the first supersonic airplanes of the late fifties. Triained test pilots to flight test supersonic airplanes at the test pilot school at Edwards. Set up the training program for the first astronauts and was a graduate of the first class. Never went into space either. Instead went to NASA where I did flight research on the Mach 3, XB-70 and YF-12/SR-71. I also did flight research on the F-111, F-15 and F-16XL (delta wing) aircraft. Took a medical retirement from NASA and went to the University of Kansas as a professor to teach and then started our own flight test company. Had to retire from day to day activities of the company and went into consulting. I had my first heart valve replacement surgery when I was forty plus two more by the time I was 65, at which time I had a heart transplant. I am now 74, am still working but at only those things I really want to do. I continue to teach flight test in the University of Kansas Continuing Education program. I am now 8 years on my second life and I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.
It sounds to me that you are thinking your in a rut, you are. Corporate acquisitions are a fact of life and so are not working in the field you are trained for. Also, getting in a rut and staying tooo long is a hazard too.. I have a formula to tell you when you should move on, if you are interested.