737MAX

DESIGN • TEST • CERTIFICATION

It is a uniquely rewarding experience to see your ideas literally take flight.

When Airbus announced the A320NEO, Boeing was forced to either update its 737NG or cede to the competition.  Thus marked the beginning of a two-billion-dollar development program, a brand new LEAP-1B engine, and a mountain of engineering & design work.

I was responsible for the successful design of the LEAP-1B engine inlet, a project that would span market requirements & objectives, detail design, scientific testing, part manufacture, and FAA certification.  Faced with strict installation constraints, conflicts of interest between business partners, and the shadow of a predecessor's performance shortcomings, the pressure to deliver was palpable.

At this point, inlet design was far from operationalized.  Unfettered by a rigid structure, I discovered novel design and analysis methods - methods that would become the foundation of future design automation and optimization algorithms.  Unfortunately, not everyone was convinced of their efficacy, and many remained skeptical of the inlet's performance long into its development.

Our first proof of concept came from model scale wind tunnel test.  The test, which I defined and directed, totaled one million dollars and suffered every manner of natural disaster - inclement weather, fuel shortages, and an engine failure conspired to delay our progress.  However, through new experimental techniques, we demonstrated unprecedented performance.  Our success would later be demonstrated full-scale, on-ground using GE's engine test stand and in-flight using GE's flying test bed.

After finalizing the design, we received a real scare.  Boeing Environmental Control Systems revealed that a potentially catastrophic icing event could demand a complete redesign of the system.  Flagged as the number one risk to on-time delivery, this issue garnered the attention of the highest levels of Boeing's executive leadership and placed us center stage.

The details are largely proprietary, but by collaborating with and directing efforts across eight Boeing, GE, and Safran groups, I successfully defined the extent of the threat, analyzed its consequences, commanded the system's redesign, and crafted an FAA certification path.  Along the way, I revealed previously unknown aerodynamic phenomena and uncovered unnecessary waste in the standard design cycle, all of which informed the next generation of Boeing aircraft.