Aviation Expert Witnesses

What is an aviation expert witness?

Aviation expert witness candidates are often licensed professional engineers with advanced degrees (PE, PhD) in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering, or aerospace engineering with extensive experience in aircraft design and maintenance, aviation safety, commercial or military flight operations, air traffic control, airport management, FAA regulations, and/or avionics. 

Some of these experts are also airplane or helicopter pilots and/or instructors with an extensive knowledge of FAA regulations and/or flight operations. Some aviation expert witness candidates have military or aviation security experience and many are members of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association or the Experimental Aircraft Association.

What types of cases require an aviation expert witness?

A wide variety of legal cases require aviation-related experts to weigh in on intellectual property disputes such as patent infringement litigation, inter partes reviews in the PTAB, or trade secret disputes. Representatives matters that Cahn Litigation Services has performed expert searches for include:

• aircraft engine failure and operations
• aeronautics / aerospace engineering specifics
• airline transport pilots (ATP) / airline transport pilot training
• Human factors product development
• aircraft leasing disputes
• commercial or military flight operations
• helicopter valuation
• aviation appraisals
• airport planning or management issues
• NTSB piloting safety recommendations
• aviation meteorology
• airplane / helicopter accident investigations
• flight training by a certified flight instructor (type rating)
• airframe stability
• rotary-wing aircraft regulatory compliance
• aviation safety management systems
• heliports
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and investigations

Aviation expert witness case examples

• New York City airline operations / flight test conditions
• Aviation security at an Arizona airport
• Air safety in the Los Angeles area

What litigation support work might an aviation expert witness be expected to perform?

Litigation support by an aviation expert witness could include reverse engineering, authoring expert reports, providing expert opinions, and testimony at deposition and trial. Forensic engineering of components can prove (or disprove) intellectual property infringement or theft. An aviation expert might also provide testimony in a product liability case involving failure analysis, be called upon to testify in an aircraft accident investigation, or provide aviation appraisal testimony.

In addition, clients may seek an expert for pre-litigation aviation consulting work. In a high-profile case, or litigation involving a significant financial stake, a law firm may request a qualified expert with prior expert witness testimony experience.

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Aviation Expert Witness - Representative Bios

Please Note: All Cahn Litigation expert witness searches are customized to attorneys' precise specifications and preferences. Attorneys are encouraged to discuss search parameters with a Cahn search specialist.

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The below expert witness bios represent a small fraction of those Aviation experts known by Cahn Litigation Services. These bios are provided to give lawyers a sense of the Aviation landscape.

• Expert Witness #252824

  This expert is a professor of Aerospace Engineering and Rotorcraft Design, and a Director of a Center of Excellence in Rotorcraft Technology. This expert initiated a School of AE graduate program in Aerospace

  Systems Design and started an Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory. This expert established an Integrated Product Lifecycle Engineering Laboratory. This expert has extensive expertise in the design and development of complex systems. This expert served as an aviator, engineer, manager and senior executive with the U.S. Army Aviation Systems Command. As a dynamics, vibrations and aeroelasticity engineer this expert served as the Army's expert in these areas during the design and development of all the Army's major aviation systems, the UH-60 Black Hawk, the AH-64 Apache, the C H-47D Chinook, and the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, as well as major upgrades to Army Aviation fixed wing aircraft, such as the R U-21D, and OV-1D Mohawk. In addition, this expert served as the dynamics evaluator and technical area chief on Army Aviation Major Source Selection Evaluation Boards that led to the development of these systems. This expert oversaw the airworthiness qualification efforts for all new and upgraded Army aviation systems and provided engineering support to the program managers on these systems. This expert oversaw the Command's Science and Technology program, and led the concept development of new systems.

  This expert also served on a temporary assignment as the Chief Scientist for the Army's Combined Arms Center and was an active duty Army aviator and commander and Field Artillery battery commander. This expert is the author or co-author of several book chapters and more than 200 technical publications in the fields of dynamics and aeroelasticity, flight mechanics and controls, aerospace systems design, and Integrated Product and Process Development. This expert is both an AHS and an AIAA Fellow, and a member of the American Society of Engineering Educators.

  
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• Expert Witness #259423

  This expert received a BSEE, MSEE, and Ph.D. This expert is a Communication Systems Engineer where this expert's interests include aviation communications, cosite interference analysis and mitigation, antennas and RF propagation. This expert serves as the lead RF systems engineer for a Data Comm program, which is a nationwide, digital communication network connecting air traffic controllers and pilots. This expert attends meetings of the Aeronautical Frequency Committee, and was responsible for developing the frequency plan for VHF Datalink mode 2 that was adapted by the committee for use by DCNS. This expert was an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering where this expert also served as the Associate Director of a Wireless Center. This expert has held a variety of industry positions, has many published papers, holds five patents and has authored a text book. This expert has been a licensed professional engineer, is a senior member of the IEEE, a licensed private pilot, and a part 107 UAV pilot.

  
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• Expert Witness #252504

  This expert has served as an active duty helicopter pilot conducting a variety of operational missions nationwide and served as a helicopter flight instructor, aeronautical engineer and maintenance test pilot. During military service, this expert specialized in aircraft operations, maintenance, sustainability, engineering and logistics. This expert brings to the table many years of experience as a Pilot/Aeronautical Engineer/Logistician/Acquisition Officer directing operations and maintenance, leading advanced technology upgrades, directing/developing people, and implementing/managing complex large-scale systems and logistics infrastructures for operations, security, maintenance and production. This expert led two of the largest acquisition programs in helicopter fleet history as the Chief Systems Engineer/Logistician. As Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Logistics, this expert led a multi-million dollar fleet engine upgrade program of helicopters; scheduled and maintained a 22-helicopter annual depot maintenance, throughput while re-engineering an average of 38 helicopters per year. This expert developed and implemented a logistics infrastructure to support continuous aircraft deliveries and maintenance inductions, coordinated superior engineering support and technical services to sustain the operational fleet, and developed operational requirements, obsolescence studies, reliability and cost data to extend the service life of a helicopter an additional 20 years. This expert has served as the lead aviation engineering investigator on a fatal helicopter crash and served as a subject matter expert on two additional mishaps.

  
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• Expert Witness #251029

  This expert has many years' experience in the aviation industry and has spent many as a consultant. Aerodynamics, and Aircraft Design are two areas of specialization. This expert has published university papers on wind tunnels, wind tunnel testing and investigations, drag reduction and other aerodynamics subject matter. This expert regularly consults to manufacturers and to simulator developers as well as the FAA and NASA. This expert is well published in the field (over 50 publications)

  
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• Expert Witness #251068

  This expert is a consultant and expert witness to the aviation industry. During this expert's accomplished naval career, this expert earned two advanced degrees in Aeronautical Engineering. This expert has experience with drag, turbulence, and wind tunnels and the attendant measurements and calculations associated with their analysis. This expert has deep experience in commercial airliners, having been Senior Vice President of Operations, Director of Maintenance Administration, and having run the engine and component repair facility at a major airport, among other positions.

  
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• Expert Witness #263894

  This expert serves as Director and leads the Forensic Investigation group of a highly successful, International consultancy. This expert has conducted complex financial analyses involving lost sales, lost profits, incremental profits, manufacturing and marketing capacity, fixed and variable costs, product line profitability, price erosion, reasonable royalties, unjust enrichment, commercial success, and prejudgment and post-verdict interest for both plaintiffs and defendants. This expert has also served as an expert witness in matters filed in U.S. District Court, state court, and before the American Arbitration Association. Additionally, this expert has lectured on the topic of intellectual property damages at law schools and bar associations.

  This expert’s case experience encompasses a broad array of industries including automotive, aviation, biotechnology, cellular, chemicals, consumer products, energy, financial securities, healthcare, HVAC, information technology, internet, medical products, military, network security, online learning, optical, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, sporting goods, supercomputers, and telecommunications.

  
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• Expert Witness #251097

  This expert is the principal consultant and expert witness in a successful aviation / space / and automotive consulting firm. This expert has direct experience with the design team of the an aircraft series, intimate understanding of drag reduction kit modifications, and prior work with Senior Leadership of a major airline. Every aspect of this expert's consulting is hands-on. This expert has specific experience in the design and test flight of experimental aircraft and component design functions. This expert's work with government agencies requires a Top Secret clearance. This expert's experience in forensic investigation makes this expert an authority on engineering corrective action, and design recommendations for desired performance.

  
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• Expert Witness #222583

  This expert has many years of direct hands-on experience performing tests, inspections, installations, and troubleshooting aircraft communication transceivers in many makes and models of general aviation aircraft. This experience is under the industry recognized term of "Avionics", which includes a wide range of aircraft electronic equipment. This expert owns and operates an FAA certified repair station exclusively focused on avionics testing and certifications with fixed-wing and helicopter capabilities nationwide.

  The communication transceiver tests this expert performs includes transmit power output and frequency checks to verify the output power of the transmitter and the accuracy of the frequency tuner within the radio. It is important to note that these tests may be performed on the bench with bench test equipment and the subject radio being removed from the aircraft and associated antenna. Or, the tests may be performed while the radio is installed in the aircraft and connected to the associated com antenna using ramp test equipment. This expert's experience is primarily with the latter scenario.

  This expert was a technical instructor for an Air Training Academy where this expert taught blocks of training required under FAA Part 147. This expert also served as an FAA Designated Mechanic Examiner, administering the FAA oral and practical exams to applicants for the Airframe and Power Plant certificates. This expert is also an accomplished instrument/commercial pilot with over 1800 hours in fixed-wing single and multi-engine aircraft and is a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, and Aircraft Electronics Association.

  
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