For release December 9, 2005
Four months after defending his thesis for a
second master’s degree, Maj. Mike Michaud came back to The
University of Tennessee Space Institute in a CF-188 fighter
plane – a Canadian variant of the U.S. Navy F/A-18 -- to lead a
seminar.
He also presented a plaque from the Canadian Flight Test Centre
at Cold Lake, Alberta, to Dr. John E. Caruthers, associate UT
vice president and UTSI’s chief operating officer. It was given
“in recognition of the long standing and productive relationship
between the Aerospace Engine Test Establishment (AETE)
at Cold Lake and UTSI.”
“Nothing is more gratifying than to learn of our graduates’
successes,” Caruthers said, noting that, “We have had many
Canadians graduate from UTSI.”
Michaud, who is officer in charge, fighter and trainer
evaluation, with the AETE, assisted by U.S. Air Force Major
Jason (Bernie) Schott of North Dakota, a test pilot assigned to
Cold Lake, gave the seminar dealing with the mission of AETE.
Seven of 44 students from Coffee County’s Central High School
in Manchester attending two days of “mini-courses” at UTSI,
chose to attend the seminar at UTSI’s Flight Research Center at
Tullahoma Airport Friday. Major Schott, who piloted the CF-188
“Hornet,” conducted a “walk around” tour of the plane for the
students and other visitors.
Michaud and Schott arranged the visit to UTSI while attending
the U.S. Air Force Test and Evaluation sessions in Nashville.
Schott referred to the Hornet as a “nephew of the F-15,”
multi-roll fighter developed in the 1970’s by McDonnell-Douglas
(now Boeing.)
Eighty percent of the engineers at Cold Lake are post-graduates
with master’s degrees, Michaud said. The majors discussed some
of AETE’s “numerous” unique test and evaluation capabilities.
The establishment has 240 personnel in positions of qualified
test pilots, flight test engineers, aircraft maintenance, photo
and instrumentation technicians, Navigators, system engineers,
and support personnel, they said.
The visit was a reunion of sorts as Michaud hobnobbed with the
major professors for the two master’s degrees he’s earned at the
Space Institute. Dr. Ralph D. Kimberlin was his major professor
for the M.S. degree in Aviation Systems. Dr. Ahmad D. Vakili was
his major professor in 2001 when he received a master’s in
Aerospace Engineering. Both professors attended the seminar.
Michaud noted that he also recently completed lengthy test pilot
training. He discussed major modernization work on the Hornet,
which he started in 2003. He is now heading the second phrase of
this work.
Dr. John Caruthers accepts a plaque from Maj. Mike Michaud, left, who with Maj. Jason Schott, right, held a seminar for UTSI.
Maj. Jason Schott and Central High School students stand beside the Canadian fighter plane at Tullahoma Airport. From left are Schott, Donavan Weaver, Nick Sissom, Steve Carroll, Jed Peterson, Bret Jones, and Kaley Babilon. Another student, John Bush, also attended the seminar at the airport.
U.S. Air Force Major Jason Schott makes an adjustment under the Canadian fighter plane prior to taking off from Tullahoma.
-- UTSI Photos
Writer: Weldon Payne (931) 393-7222
wpayne@utsi.edu
