Will Russell (RUSS) Stewart: COLONEL, USAF (Retired)
Education included an ME, Electrical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1968
BE, Electrical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1967
USAF Test Pilot School, Distinguished Graduate 1975
Mar 98 ? Pres Instructor, National Test Pilot School, Mojave, CA
1. Aug 93 - Feb 98 Chief of Safety, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB Ca. Responsible for the safe conduct of flight test operations at the world's largest flight test center. Approves all safety planning for next generation aircraft flight test. (T-38)
2. Jun 91 - Jul 93 Commander, 545 Test Group, Hill AFB, Ut. Responsible for four squadrons conducting flight test and functional check flights of F-16 and C-130 aircraft. Operated the Utah Test and Training Range for AFMC and the using commands. (C-130)
3. Oct 90 - Jun 91 Vice Commander 6500 Air Base Wing, Edwards AFB. Deputy mayor for a community of over 20,000 workers. Supplied civil engineer, hospital, chaplain, communications, transportation, personnel, education, commissary, exchange, and morale, welfare, and recreation services to the base. (non-flying)
4. May 90 - Sep 90 Special Assistant to Wing Commander, 6510 Test Wing, Edwards AFB, Ca. Worked aircraft transition plan and manpower reduction issues (T-38)
5. Apr 89 - Apr 90 Detachment 1/ 6512th Test Squadron Commander, Peace Pearl Combined Test Force Director, Edwards AFB, CA. Directed test planning efforts of a major avionics upgrade to the People's Republic of China's F-8II interceptor aircraft. Responsible for $13 Million test budget, 26 Air Force, 40 contractor and 40 Chinese workers on largest Foreign Military Sales program in existence with the Chinese. Program was terminated 30 Apr 90 by the Chinese do to financial difficulties. (T-38)
6. Jan 88 - Apr 89 Director of Future Programs, 6510 Test Wing, Edwards AFB Ca. Executed beddown of four new test programs at the Air Force Flight Test Center including the C-17, the F-111 Digital Flight Control System, the YA-7F and the Peace Pearl F-8II programs. (T-38)
7. Aug 85 - Jan 88 Chief of Academics, United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Ca. Supervised 10 officers, 1 NCO, and 3 civilians. Responsible for the curriculum development for over 600 classroom hours of instruction to each class (2 classes per year, 46 weeks long). (T-38 & UV-18)
8. Jun 82 - Jul 85 Aircraft Division Chief, Plans and Programs (XR), HQ Air Force Systems Command, Andrews AFB, Md. Supervised 4 officers, and one civilian. Managed new aircraft development programs through concept exploration and into demonstration validation phase of development. Systems Officer (SYSTO) for the Advanced Tactical Fighter. Fought for the initial funding to get ATF started. Responsible for the long range development forecast "Vanguard Plan". (non-flying)
9. Jun 79 - Jun 82 Flight Commander, 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Woodbridge, England. Supervised 9 A-10 fighter pilots in a newly formed A-10 squadron. Initiated operations at two Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) in northern Germany. Developed operational tactics; honed new squadron into combat ready fighting unit. Graduate of USAFE's Tactical Leadership Program. (A-10)
10. Jul 75 - Jun 79 Experimental Test Pilot, 6512th Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Ca. Expanded weapons envelope of experimental B-77 nuclear weapon from F-4 aircraft. Handling Qualities experimental test pilot for the A-10 aircraft. Tested both normal function and failure states of the flight controls. Determined the handling qualities of new stores configurations. (F-4, A-10, A-37)
11. Aug 74 - Jul 75 USAF Test Pilot School Edwards AFB, Ca. Student Class 74B - Distinguished Graduate
12. Apr 72 - Jul 74 Engineer and project manager, 4750 Test Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fl. Instrumented F-106 and F-101 aircraft for operational and developmental test programs such as SHAG missile guidance, hot line gunsight, and helmet mounted sight. Air Defense Command program manager for the PQM-102 full scale target drone program. (F-101)
13. Oct 70 - Apr 72 T-33 Instructor Pilot, 4756 Flying Training Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fl. Instructed future interceptor pilots basics of intercept geometry, formation flying and instrument flying. Responsible for teaching T-33 systems ground school. (T-33)
14. Oct 69 - Sep 70 Forward Air Controller (FAC) O-2 aircraft, 21 TASS, Phu Cat AB, Republic of Vietnam. FAC/ALO for the ROK Capitol Division in II Corps. Received DFC and 6 Air Medals. (O-2A)
15. Jun 68 - Jun 69 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Webb AFB, Tx.
16. Member of Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Air Force Association and the Daedalians.Chairman, Flight Test Safety Committee
17. Co-author of the A-10 Flying Qualities Final Report, 1977
18. Editor of the USAF Test Pilot School Textbook Total Revision, 1986
19. Flight history includes over 5700 hours total time, single and multi-engine, commercial land, glider- aero tow only, instrument, A-10 1440, F-4 200, A-37 350, T-33 880, F-101 290, O-2A 650, T-38 1100, UV-18 300, time in over 50 types.
