• Mr. Ken Knopp and Mr. David Westlund
  • Federal Aviation Administration
  • 104D Surge Building
  • 4:00 p.m.
  • Faculty Host: Dr. Rakesh Kapania

The FAA conducts R&D in several area with the objective of improving safety, capacity, efficiency as well as environmental sustainability.  The Aviation Research Division located at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center manages research with a focus on improving the level of safety in civil aviation.  The division includes the Structures and Propulsion Branch, Fire Safety Branch, the Human Factors Branch, the Airport Technology R&D Branch, and the Software and Systems Branch.  This presentation will cover research conducted under the Structures and Propulsion Branch that includes work on advanced materials, propulsion systems, aviation fuels, airframe icing, continued airworthiness and other related areas.  The presentation will cover the area of inspection technology in greater detail with coverage of future system capabilities.  This will include a discussion of new materials being used in aircraft manufacturing and the critical question for certification.

Biography:

Ken Knopp was named to the position of Structures & Propulsion Branch Manager within the Aviation Research Division at the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) William J. Hughes Technical Center in October 2012.  In this capacity, he is responsible for the leadership and directions of a comprehensive research, development, test and evaluation and provides the basis for acquisitions and safety improvements implemented by specification, procedures, regulations or certifications.

Ken has over 25 years of technical expertise in the aviation industry.  Ken has a broad range of experience in research, development, test and evaluation of structural integrity, structural safety, maintenance & inspection technology, aircraft icing, propulsion & fuels, advanced materials, structural safety, aircraft catastrophic failure, fire safety and more.  He has also provided strategy and direction in defining, communicating and implementing a broad spectrum of new agency management policies and initiatives.

Prior to 2012, Ken was manager of the Program Management Branch in the Aviation Research Division.  He was responsible for oversight of all research activities in the Aviation Research Division ranging from aircraft safety, airports and human factors.

Ken is an active pilot with Commercial ratings in both fixed-wing and rotorcraft.  He is a current member of American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and Program Management Institute (PMI).  He holds a Project Management Professional status with PMI.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Wichita State University and has completed graduate courses in aviation safety, management and project/program management.

David Westlund is currently the program manager for maintenance and inspection research in the structures and materials section of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Research Division.  Prior to that he worked in the FAA’s Advanced Materials and Structural Safety research group where he was involved in research in the areas of adhesive bonding, environmental factors, and advanced materials processing.  Currently he is active in research in non-destructive testing of composites as well as advanced control systems for commercial aircraft. 

David has a bachelor’s degree in composite materials engineering and is completing his master’s degree in aerospace engineering from North Carolina State University this spring.  He has industrial experience in manufacturing of composites as well as in composite material supply.  His personal area of interest is flight dynamics and aeroservoelasticity.