The 2014 PNWAIAA Technical Symposium took place Saturday November 1, 2014 at Future of Flight, Paine Field in Everett.
Download the complete color program by clicking here.
The Symposium focused on breakthroughs at the edges of our knowledge and imagination that solve new problems and extend beyond prior limits to find new solutions, new business models and new ways of thinking that illuminate the paths to surprising new futures that—in many ways—are already under way.
There are lessons in these experiences valuable to every professional, whether technical or management, that prepare us for breaking through the technical, business, social and political barriers we face every day.
Presentations Available for Download
Click on the links for PDF versions of the presentations.
Opening Session
“Aquarius: a Practical Engineering Framework for Interplanetary Human Space Flight” with Daniel Adamo, Salem, Oregon-based AIAA Senior Member and astrodynamics consultant with NASA and United Space Alliance experience, including 60 space shuttle missions as a front room flight controller.
Keynote Session
“Dispatches from the Edge” with Cannae Drive founder and principal investigator Guido Fetta, exploring what happens at the “outlaw frontier” when people think you’ve broken a fundamental law of physics, even if you haven’t. At least not yet. (“NASA validates ‘impossible’ space drive” 7/31/14 Wired.co.uk)
Mid-Afternoon Session
“The Bloodhound Supersonic Car: Innovation at 1,000 mph” with Tim Edwards, Chief Engineer at Atkins, Bristol UK. PLUS, they’ve provided additional links on Bloodhound and Atkins’ work on this fascinating car:
- An augmented reality model is available to download for iPhones at www.bloodhoundssc.com/ar
- Tim Edwards’ Technical Journal article on structural analysis on the Bloodhound vehicle
- More information on the car’s structure on Bloodhound’s website
Closing Session
“Surfing Aircraft Vortices for Energy: An overview of the DARPA/AFRL Formation Flight for Efficiency Program,” with David Halaas, Guidance, Navigation and Controls engineer, Boeing
Session Presentations
“Power Dissipation Optimization Process in Aircraft Secondary Power Distribution Systems” with Neno Novakovic, United Technology Aerospace Systems- “Intellectual Property Protection @ the Edge“ with Perkins Coie IP attorneys John Wechkin and Rajiv Sarathy covering the basics of protecting breakthrough developments, then fast forwarding to review the cutting edge of the law and its practices based on changes in recent years to bring up to date on key issues in today’s environment
- “Survival Capsule: Multi Purpose Personal Safety System” with Survival Capsule founder/CEO and Rising Leaders mentor Julian Sharpe
- “The Market for Air Travel: What People Pay to Fly” with Dr. Roger Parker, market demand analytics consultant with extensive experience in air travel markets
- “Beating Betz?” with Odin Energy Works founder Alexander Anderson describing an airborne wind turbine sponsored by Puget Sound Energy that—on the surface of it—appears to violate the first law of thermodynamics
- “New Media for Lifelong Learning: Massive Open Online Courses” with Professor Kuen Lin, University of Washington, sharing new teaching formats and a new course, “Composite Materials for Engineers,” beginning in November
- “Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations: Engineering Challenges and Challenges for Engineers” with Glosten/Pelastar President Jay Edgar
- “A Practical Toolbox for Enhancing New Thinking” with Karl Rein-Weston of Boeing and past PNW AIAA Section Chair
- “Commercializing New Technology: It’s Not Just About the Product” with Lasermotive CEO Tom Nugent
- “Changing the Game in Airspace and Flight Path Optimization“ with Dr. Bruce Holmes of NextGen Aerosciences, discussing a software platform for adaptive real time optimization of flight path safety and operating economics developed for the FAA’s NextGen Air Transportation System.
Attendee Survey
We asked attendees for their feedback on the symposium, and 49 out of the total of about 200 attendees provided some response to our survey. Some of the findings are:
- Almost three quarters of those responding to the survey were attending their first symposium this year
- Across all those responding, three quarters said it was better than expected, with comments mostly about the interest of the presentations and the variety of topics
- All those who responded said they’d come back again next year and would recommend it to colleagues
The summary of survey responses is available for viewing here.