torque
"A tradesman's journey is limited only by what he believes it's possibilities are."

turbine
              wheel blade inspection
Robert Reed

I  started professionally wrenching in 1973 for the City of Newport Beach, California on city equipment and trucks, later moving  on to the aviation field as a licensed airframe and powerplant technician, manufacturer's technical representative, aircraft accident investigator, private aerospace contractor,  then changing careers again to that of a journeyman diesel and power generation technician. 

The wrenching trade has taken me all over the world.  In 1975 I began an Aviation Technology program at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calfornia.  In 1976 I earned his F.A.A. Airman Private Pilot's License with Airplane Single Engine Land ratings.  In 1978 I earned my F.A.A. Airman Mechanic License with Airframe and Powerplant ratings.  Also in 1978 I began working on radial recip (piston) engines and post world war 2 aircraft such as the Douglas DC-6, DC-3, Lockheed Loadstar, Grumman Mallard and others as well as Lear Jet and Cessna Citation corporate jets, Mitsubishi MU-2 turboprop executive transports in addition to many other corporate turbine and recip aircraft types.

I concurrently enrolled in the Electronics Technology and Digital Computer Electronics Technology programs in 1980 at Orange Coast College and earned his F.C.C.
Amateur Radio Advanced Class License and Commercial Radiotelephone 2nd Class License  certifications qualifying me to work on commercial broadcast transmitter stations and aircraft communication equipment.  In 1982 I received Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop and Lear 35/36 line maintenance certifications.  I received many additional engine type certifications later throughout the 80's. 

In 1983 I was hired by Avco Lycoming Gas Turbine Engine division (later aquired by Textron Corporation) in Stratford, Connecticut to support and qualify on all the Textron Lycoming turbine engine products located througout the West Coast of the United States and Pacific regions including Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand and Japan.  Main product support involved the 4435 horsepower AL5512, the 2930 horsepower T5508D, and the 750 horsepower LTS101 and LTP101 turbine products.  The lion's share of work involved support and customer interfacing with corporate management at Textron relating to the latter's gas turbine helicopter powerplants, specializing in smoothing over disputes between high visibility corporate customers and Textron management.  Important customers were the United States Coast Guard, Columbia Helicopters, Hughes Aircraft Radar Systems Group, Rockwell International Aerospace, Southern California Edison, Kawasaki Industries in Osaka, Japan among others.

During 1985 I received Aircraft Accident Safety Investigation certification from the University of Southern California to perform aircraft accident investigations on the Avco and Textron Lycoming gas turbine powered aircraft involved in accidents and failure incidents.  I represented Textron Lycoming on numerous occasions with the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviaton Administration accident and incident teams as a manufacturer's team representative in fatal and non fatal accidents.  I performed these duties until 1992.  The Lycoming Division was aquired from Textron by Allied Signal, and later that was aquired  by Honeywell.

Family considerations in 1992 brought changes.  A weak aviation economy and requirement to relocate meant a career "adjustment" to stay in Humboldt County.  It was perfect timing to grow with the new children.  I began a career in both contracting aircraft maintenance work until 1997 for Louisiana Pacific Corporation and as a private contractor to former helicopter engine customers.  I also began working for Reliance Peterbilt as a diesel engine technician in 1992.  In 1998 I was hired by Cummins West Inc, Arcata Branch as a diesel engine and an industrial electrical power generation technician, receiving Cummins product qualifications on a regular basis, and that's where I work today.

Back