Director, Flight Systems | BLUE ORIGIN

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As Director of Flight Systems at Blue Origin, I lead a diverse, multidisciplinary organization of approximately 60 engineers, scientists, and R&D professionals dedicated to advancing the state-of-the-art in autonomous spaceflight. My role is centered on driving innovation, developing new technologies, and ensuring technical excellence across multiple domains.

I collaborate closely with business unit leaders, program management, finance, and human resources to align technical roadmaps with strategic objectives. By setting clear milestones, defining key performance indicators (KPIs), and managing to an Annual Operating Plan (AOP), I ensure our teams deliver high-impact solutions on time and within budget. Over the past four years, I have significantly expanded the Flight Systems team, tripling its span and scope by establishing a clear vision, securing stakeholder support, and recruiting top talent.

I oversee several critical teams, each pushing the boundaries of technology:

• Navigation Engineering – Led the development of NAVI, a revolutionary new navigation avionics system, from concept through flight. Starting with a clean-sheet design, my team developed and tested multiple prototypes before bringing the system to production. NAVI is now a standard Line Replacement Unit (LRU) for all Blue Origin launch vehicles and has flown successfully on both New Shepard and New Glenn. We implemented modern software architecture, AGILE methodologies, and rigorous DO-178C certification processes to meet human flight-rated avionics standards. My leadership also encompassed program management, sensor fusion design using Kalman filters, and the integration of embedded software with space systems.
• Fluids Analysis Engineering – This team specializes in computational simulations for aerodynamics, fuel slosh dynamics, plume impingement, and acoustics. This team spearheaded the transition of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to the cloud, dramatically increasing accessibility and reducing analysis cycle times. My team also supports wind tunnel testing and the design of complex fluid systems for launch vehicles.
• Modeling & Simulation – Leading the development of enterprise-wide capabilities in real-time simulation, CFD, Digital Twins, and flight software validation. We are driving the enterprise-wide  of a new model-based standard library for systems and sensors, improving engineering efficiency by 80%. Additionally, this team implemented parallelized Monte Carlo simulations to accelerate day-of-flight performance predictions by 85%.
• Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) Labs - Managing five HIL labs supporting system integration testing of vehicle flight software and hardware. this team is responsible for lab operations, avionics hardware production, and rigorous testing protocols. We maintain high safety and quality standards while managing capital and operational budgets.
• DaVinci Lab – Directed the buildout of Blue Origin’s premier R&D facility, a 45,000-square-foot lab dedicated to low-TRL research. This lab fosters cutting-edge development in robotics, hydrogen fuel cells, additive manufacturing, and life support systems, generating 10+ patents annually. I oversee its $15M budget and drive its strategic direction to support future missions.

Across all these teams, I focus on technical leadership, team mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration to drive innovation and ensure mission success. My work at Blue Origin is not just about leading teams—it's about shaping the future of spaceflight through engineering excellence and cutting-edge technology development.

As Director of Innovation and Product Development at FlightSafety International,  a global flight simulator and pilot training company, I led the company’s innovation strategy, driving the development of new products, market expansion, and digital transformation. My role spanned business planning, technology development, and operational improvements, with a strong focus on commercial and defense industries.

I collaborated with the executive leadership team to develop business plans for new product lines, presenting cost analyses, market potential, go-to-market strategies, and production roadmaps. My leadership resulted in securing approval for key initiatives expanding FlightSafety’s footprint in both commercial and defense markets.

A major achievement was leading the digital transformation of FlightSafety’s enterprise-wide virtual cockpit training system. By migrating this critical training platform to the cloud, we significantly improved system performance, enhanced accessibility for customers, and positioned the company for future scalability.

I also spearheaded a $2M clean-sheet redesign of the company's flagship flight simulator, achieving a 20% reduction in unit cost, 15% lower operating costs, and a 40% weight reduction—improving efficiency while maintaining the highest standards of fidelity and performance. In parallel, I led continuous improvement initiatives in production, optimizing processes to lower costs and shorten delivery times.

My responsibilities extended to managing FlightSafety’s intellectual property portfolio, identifying, evaluating, and commercializing new technologies. I became FlightSafety’s first patent holder, reinforcing the company’s commitment to innovation.

Additionally, I directed the company’s R&D strategy, overseeing 31 simultaneous development programs while managing annual budgets, performance metrics, and schedules. I built and led multiple Agile cross-functional teams, taking concepts from ideation to Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and developed competitive product roadmaps to enter new markets.

Working closely with government and defense partners, I played a key role in developing winning proposals, conducting buy vs. build trade studies, and ensuring compliance with security requirements. My 15+ years holding a Security Clearance allowed me to support defense-related initiatives seamlessly.

Throughout my tenure, I worked directly with customers to understand their requirements and ensure successful product delivery, reinforcing FlightSafety’s reputation as a leader in high-fidelity simulation and training solutions.

As Product Director at FlightSafety International, I led the commercialization of MissionFit™, a state-of-the-art training product redefining the flight simulation industry. What began as a clean-sheet R&D project (which I started and led) became a fully realized, revenue-generating product line under my leadership, offering a groundbreaking solution to reduce flight school operating costs while increasing pilot throughput.

I managed the entire product lifecycle, overseeing customer engagement, business strategy, marketing, sales, finance, production, sustainment, and regulatory compliance. My strategic initiatives refined design and production processes, ultimately reducing MissionFit™ unit costs by over 20%, making it more accessible to customers while maintaining high performance and quality.

I spearheaded go-to-market efforts, launching MissionFit™ into the market by integrating it into FlightSafety’s main simulator production line, developing marketing campaigns, setting price points, and securing customer adoption. I worked closely with internal stakeholders to deliver MissionFit™ to FlightSafety’s global learning centers, enhancing training capabilities and solidifying the product as a core offering for commercial and government customers.

Beyond product execution, I played a critical role in business development—writing commercial and government proposals, working with regulators, and developing financial projection models to support long-term growth. I also established a sustainment infrastructure to ensure ongoing post-delivery support, reinforcing FlightSafety’s commitment to customer success.

Regularly engaging with C-suite executives, I provided business strategy updates, financial performance assessments, and market expansion opportunities. My efforts resulted in the successful adoption of MissionFit™, creating a new revenue-generating product line that positioned FlightSafety at the forefront of next-generation flight training technology. 

News Articles:

• MissionFit: FlightSafety’s New Reconfigurable “Glass Canvas” FTD
• The Making of Exceptional Pilots
• FlightSafety International Launches MissionFit™, A New Advanced Technology Interactive Training System
• RFDS Selects FlightSafety's MissionFit Training Device
• Royal Flying Doctor Service Adds FlightSafety’s MissionFit to its Pilatus PC-12NG Training Program
• FlightSafety’s MissionFit aims to raise standards

As Founder of FlightSafety’s first dedicated Research & Development (R&D) organization, the Simulation Innovation Lab, I transformed a vision into reality—securing corporate support, assembling a multidisciplinary team, and pioneering a new era of flight simulation technology. This lab was commissioned to develop state-of-the-art training systems, technologies, processes, and products, ultimately leading to the invention of MissionFit™, a game-changing flight training solution.

I took an unconventional approach to innovation, hand-selecting six engineers from multiple disciplines and physically separating them from FlightSafety’s main simulator factory. To encourage fresh thinking, I provided them with new tools, new email accounts, and a blank slate—free from past constraints. Over two years, we embraced rapid prototyping and Agile development methodologies, progressing from concept to prototype to a fully realized Minimum Viable Product (MVP).

Beyond technical development, I led customer engagement efforts—organizing and facilitating customer focus groups to gather real-world feedback on MissionFit™. My leadership and vision resulted in multiple company awards, including being named FlightSafety’s Innovator of the Year.

Key contributions included:

• Securing FlightSafety’s first patent, marking a milestone in the company’s      intellectual property portfolio.
• Developing new competencies in cloud computing, IoT, distributed networking, model-based design, machine learning, computer vision, graphical engines, and wireless communications, many of which influenced other FlightSafety product lines.
• Regularly briefing executive leadership, including the CEO, CFO, and Executive Vice President, on R&D progress, business impact, and strategic opportunities.
• Managing the project’s annual labor and capital expenditures (CapEx) budget, ensuring efficient resource allocation and cost control.

Through my leadership, the Simulation Innovation Lab successfully reimagined how flight simulators were designed and built, proving that bold innovation could drive real-world advancements in pilot training technology.

As FlightSafety’s foremost technical expert on helicopter flight simulation, I pioneered groundbreaking advancements in high-fidelity helicopter simulation, directly shaping industry standards and regulatory frameworks while leading FlightSafety into new markets.

One of my most significant accomplishments was developing the world’s first real-time, high-fidelity helicopter simulation software model—also known as a Digital Twin—approved by the FAA at their highest qualification standard (Level D). This innovation positioned FlightSafety as the first company to produce Level D helicopter flight simulators, leading the competition by two years and earning industry recognition for excellence.

To achieve this milestone, I pioneered new flight test processes and Digital Twin development techniques to reverse engineer helicopters for simulator production. This work enabled FlightSafety to enter new markets, starting with the world’s first Level D helicopter simulator for the EC-135, which garnered another industry award.

I led complete flight test programs for both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, overseeing:

• Flight test planning, including test points, procedures, and parameterization.
• Instrumentation and calibration of aircraft for accurate data capture.
• Execution of flight tests, assigning daily test operations and maneuvers.
• Risk assessment and mitigation, developing a formal Safety Management System for test operations.

As Technical Lead and Subject Matter Expert for all helicopter simulators at FlightSafety, I:

• Created the software modeling & simulation standards used in all FlightSafety military and commercial helicopter programs (~23% of annual sales).
• Developed the validation framework for Digital Twins used in all FlightSafety helicopter flight simulators to meet FAA qualification standards.
• Led the commercialization of helicopter simulation, including flight test programs, data analytics, high-fidelity software model development, and human-in-the-loop testing.

Beyond technical contributions, I played a key role in shaping global aerospace flight simulator regulatory standards:

• As a founding member of the ICAO 9625 industry working group, I helped define the FAA 14 CFR Part 60 helicopter regulatory standard, establishing guidelines that continue to shape the helicopter simulator industry today.
• Worked directly with global regulatory authorities (FAA, CAA, EASA, UK Civil Aviation Authority) to test, validate, and qualify flight simulators. I also worked extensively with commercial and defense customers, including the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, to define requirements and deliver mission-critical simulation solutions.

Additional contributions included:

• Managing and mentoring a small team of engineers developing multiple helicopter simulators simultaneously.
• Publishing and presenting multiple technical papers at industry conferences, with two winning national awards.

Through my leadership, innovation, and technical expertise, I transformed helicopter flight simulation into a high-fidelity science, driving FlightSafety’s success in commercial, defense, and regulatory arenas.