AE Alums Participate in F-35B Sea Trials

4/2/2013 Written by Susan Mumm

Paul Martin, BS 06, and Jim Liao, BS 00, play part in the historic testing of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter on the USS WASP (LHD-1).

Written by Written by Susan Mumm

Two AE alumni played a part in the historic sea trials testing of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter onboard the USS WASP (LHD-1) in October.

The testing, taking place off the coasts of Maryland and Virginia, marked the first time the aircraft had operated from a ship.

AE alumni Jim Liao, left, and Paul Martin on board the USS WASP (LHD-1) during sea trial testings of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.
AE alumni Jim Liao, left, and Paul Martin on board the USS WASP (LHD-1) during sea trial testings of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.
AE alumni Jim Liao, left, and Paul Martin on board the USS WASP (LHD-1) during sea trial testings of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.
 Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems Engineer Paul Martin, BS 06, has spent more than five years working in ship suitability, and has been working on the Joint Strike Fighter program the past 2½ years. Currently working for Naval Air Systems Command, Martin’s role was to interact with the ship’s personnel, plan the flight test periods, and ensure the ship was able to provide the desired wind conditions for test points.

Fellow alumnus Jim Liao, BS 00, is a Flying Qualities/Air Data engineer working for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. He has been working the past six years on the Joint Strike Fighter program, in both design and flight test roles. At sea, Liao’s job was to monitor the aircraft’s air data system and flying qualities during the high-risk test points.

Both alums work for the Integrated Task Force at NAS Patuxent River in Maryland.


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This story was published April 2, 2013.