Gavin D. Jenney: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (original) (raw)

Experienced interdisciplinary researcher and entrepreneur in the field of aviation and defense

Experienced interdisciplinary researcher and entrepreneur in the field of aviation and defense. Inventor on multiple patents in the aviation domain. Expertise in intelligent systems, software development, and innovating for next-generation systems. Capable of marketing, winning, and executing on both government and industry-sponsored research. Experienced in managing and providing primary technical leadership on over $1M of research annually.

The History of the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics

… education during the first century of …, 2004

The University of Minnesota fLrst offered courses in aeronautical engineering to undergraduate' in mechanical engineering in 1926. This was 13 years after the first aeronautical engineering program in the U.S. was established at MIT. In early 1928. Ora M. Leland, Dean of the College of Engineering and Architecture, proposed to the Minnesota Board of Regents tbat an independent department of aeronautical engineering be established. He believed that "Minnesota is favorably located to become a center for this field of engineering for the Northwest." Leland recommended that the new curriculum continue much as it had from witbin the mechanical engineering department. A special lectureship was given to John D. Akelman, who not only taught during the 1928-1929 school year, but also helped design the final form of the department. In the fall of 1929, the Department of Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Minnesota officially opened its doors to students. Jolm Akerman, then an associate professor, served as its first department head, a position he would hold for nearly three decades. Consistent with Akerman's background. the department's curriculum reflected the interests of industry. Born in Latvia, Akerman began his aeronautical studies at the Imperial Technical Institute in Moscow under the pioneer aerodynamicist Nickolai Joukowski. Akerman was also acquainted with Igor Sikorsky and maintained contact with Sikorsky after both immigrated to the USA. When World War I started, Akerman served as a pilot for the Russian Imperial Air Service. After the Bolshevik take over in 1917, he fled to France and served as a pilot in the French air force. He moved to the United States after the war in 1918. Akerman's aeronautical interests led him to the University of Michigan. where he earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering in 1925. Akerman stayed at Michigan until 1927,

Expectations for a New Aeronautical Engineering Technology Program

2014

The lean nature of aviation in recent times has led to increased focus on economy and quality for all aspects of manufacturing and operations. At the same time, while the use of new technology has certainly resulted in higher quality products and performance, that same technology has left a gap in technical support, as inadequately trained personnel struggle to meet the challenges in the industry. In the past, the aerospace industry relied to a significant extent on the knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the airframe and powerplant (A&P) certificate for maintenance and support of the vehicle, and also in many aspects of design and manufacturing. The increased reliance on developing technology and the critical value placed on quality and economy has created a need for a new class of support personnel in the aerospace industry. The qualified individual will continue to possess the experiential, hands-on skills associated with the A&P license, but will also have a firm gr...

Bomber R&D Since 1945: The Role of Experience

IaAnecdotal evidence suggests that experience plays a critical role in the cost-effectiveness design and development of successful military aircraft. Understanding the true situation may be essential to meet Air Force needs despite declining R&D budgets, few new programs starts, and industry contraction. To examine this issue, the authors explore the history of U.S. bomber production since the end of World War I. They conclude that relevant experience does, indeed, matter-firms develop valuable system-specific knowledge in ongoing work, and experience in important new technologies has a distinct advantage. There is far less correlation between commercial and aircraft than was once thought, so such experience is unlikely to be useful. And since major breakthroughs in technology, design approaches, and concepts have come far more often from government !nbs !han from the commercial se.tor, the cntribNition of "dual-use" technology to future military aircraft design and development may be limited. .536.

Aerospace Engineering Education at the Naval Postgraduate School

41st Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, 2003

In 1947 the U.S. Navy established a Department of Aeronautics in the Naval Postgraduate School in order to better prepare naval aviation officers for the transition from piston engine powered aircraft to gas turbine powered jet aircraft. In 1987 the Department was expanded to cover astronautics. In this paper the educational objectives, programs, and developments in the major areas of concentration are briefly described for the purpose of providing easy access to the Department's history, major accomplishments and current status.

Expectations for a New Aeronautical Engineering Technology (AET) Program

2006

Systems engineering: Program empowerment for 21st century aerospace projects

IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, 2014

The unprecedented technical complexity and integration required in today's aerospace operations is staggering compared with ten years ago. Aerospace systems today are complex "systems of systems" that require the integration of established, legacy equipment and new and diverse technologies. Integration often results in less system behavior predictability, increasingly complex development, and implementation challenges. Aerospace companies are incorporating advancements in traditional areas like material science, propulsion, aerodynamics, electronics, and stability and control. They are also bringing technological advancements into previously unrelated areas, like advanced computing for autonomous aircraft flight and obstacle avoidance, data and network security to prevent energy interception and interpretation of proprietary data, and introducing new advancements, like system autonomy, to drastically improve efficiency. The incorporation of modern technology into these previously untouched areas requires expertise in a broad range of engineering disciplines. The tight fiscal environment has produced a heavier reliance on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products, more modifications to existing designs, and longer system life cycles. This often means adapting the business to the COTS solution instead of creating a solution that best fits a company's unique business environment, making temporary workarounds the norm, and maintaining equipment and systems well past their peak usefulness. Additionally, a greater emphasis is placed on enhancing performance on existing contracts rather than investing in new or custom development. International collaboration has provided some relief, but it has also led to challenges related to information and data security, logistics, global supply chain management, quality control, and the necessity to integrate products that were built all over the world to varying specifications and standards of quality. The emergence of multiple prime/subcontractor teams has forced projects to face wide geographic distributions and the difficult task of integrating many companies and organizations. Finally, the aerospace field is increasingly regulated and is witnessing the emergence of strong, international competition (Figure 1). These are just a few of the challenges faced by today's aerospace projects.

Gavin D. Jenney: The Cold War Aerospace Technology History Project (original) (raw)

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