JOHN A.

DILLON

Arlington, Texas 76002 817.323.6146

Quasi291@sbcglobal.net
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillonjohna

AVIONICS ELECTRONICS ENGINEER, TESTING PROFESSIONAL

25+ years success leading engineering innovation in military & civilian aeronautics

Innovator in Avionics Electronics Engineering & Testing with success as a project lead and designer,
with significant expertise in aviation electronics, avionics, embedded engineering, and firmware &
software. Skilled communicator with all members of the project team, senior management and client
executives. Clear, persuasive writing ability with proven success in documentation and writing a precertification FCS ICD. Several programming & software proficiencies.
HIGHLIGHTS OF EXPERTISE

Project Management
Process Improvement
Aviation Testing & Engineering
Military Aviation & Flight Testing
Programming & Software Tools.
Digital & Analog Design
Multi-tasking & Deadlines
Aviation Electronics

Verbal Communication & Negotiation

Technical Writing & Reporting
Relationship Building & Collaboration
Leadership & Teamwork
Electrical System/Device Documentation
Electrical Mechanical Interfaces
Electro-mechanical Interfaces & Signals
Hardware & System Design

CAREER EXPERIENCE
AGUSTA WESTLAND TRC., Arlington, Texas
Contracted by Johnson Service Group at AWTRC to administer pre-flight testing and verification of the Fly-byWire Flight Control System of Augusta Westland 609 Tilt Rotor Aircraft. Achieved Federal Aviation
Administration certification standards.
FLIGHT TEST ENGINEER,
CONTRACTOR FOR JOHNSON SERVICE GROUP, (June 2014 to March 2016)
Administered preflight testing and verification of the AW609 Fly-by-Wire Flight Control System,
and monitored critical systems in the Flight Test Telemetry room. Reviewed and assessed post
flight data. Collaborated with colleagues in the Flight Test CAFTA data review. Assisted in
determining optimum support for hardware upgrades and developing flight control computer.
Acted as a key troubleshooter and analyzed flight test wiring and sensors.

Detected and corrected a previously unknown situation that could have stalled the project.
Achievement was the result of vigilant collection and analysis, of fight test data.

Drastically reduced pre-flight data scoring to aircraft release time by 35 to 45 minutes, while
improving scoring accuracy and error detection. Achievement was the result of creating and
managing the projects MS Excel based automated pre-flight test data scorer and scorer
software verification process.

Eliminated project failures by proactively analyzing and troubleshooting flight test wiring,
configuration and sensors; monitoring and assessing hardware upgrades; and supporting
development of the innovative 609 Fly-By-Wire Flight Control Computer.

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BELL HELICOPTER., Arlington & Hurst, Texas

Collaborated in design, software verification and testing of a Fly-by-Wire Flight Control System (FCS) for the
BA609 Tilt Rotor Aircraft.Bell Helicopter is a leading designer and builder of tiltrotor and fixed rotor
hovercraft.
SENIOR ENGINEER FLIGHT CONTROLS (December 2000 to February 2014)
Led in defining the Hardware and Software Interface of the BA609 FlyBy-Wire Flight Control
System for the 609 Tilt-Rotor Aircraft. Implemented Safety of Flight (SOF) ATP, ESS Qualification
Testing per DO-160D for Environmental and EMI testing. Proved and assessed LRUs and
physical, electrical, functional and operational thresholds. Developed testing reports,
configurations and wiring diagrams for Conversion Actuator, Engine Control, Sensor and system
environmental testing. Initiated collaborating with the design and development team.

Simplified Bells certification process by contributing technical enhancements in configuring

and building the Flight Control Systems electronic sub-system hardware & firmware.

Assumed leadership in editing the FCS ICD inserting documentation and clear language,
creating and adding system wiring diagrams, images and figures. This assisted FAA
assessors in understanding and speeding up project approval.

Cut start time for Hazard Analysis Testing by developing a Tie-In Test Bench Initialization
Procedure that increased in test data capture potential.

Created intellectual property and submitted Patent Application 14150079.3 1754, titled
Measurement of Rotor Blade Flapping Utilizing MEMs.

Increased laboratory test bench simulation accuracy by designing and building a VME
circuit card and remote analog signal unit. This tool increased simulation testing accuracy,
surpassing accuracy benchmarks 10X..

Built all firmware, documentation, PCB board layouts and the test system interface for the
VME circuit card and remote analog signal unit.

Customized test bench to aircraft sensor signals and interconnects by writing/programming

test interface tools in LabView, building sensitive testing system interface signal simulation.

Designed software and verification testing of the computer electrical system, rotor blade
flapping system and other system sensors by writing test procedures and verification scripts
to manage software redundancy. Determined signal and wiring separation reviews for
System Redundancy and System Safety, including EMI and RFI susceptibility.

Reviewed and assessed FCC upgrades and improvements during SRR, and CDR meetings
with the manufacturer. Initiated development of major circuit designs and circuit
improvements, increasing monitoring and capabilities included in upgraded FCC hardware.

PREMIER AVIATION, Grand Prairie, Texas

Managed Project Teams and led colleagues in innovation and production on multiple aeronautics projects for a
privately held helicopter completions center.
MANAGER OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING (May 1991 to November 2000)
Led colleagues by supervising and mentoring installation and workflow, trouble shooting custom
avionics systems in helicopters, and overseeing installations in domestic and foreign military
helicopters. Developed custom prototypes and numerous devices and LRUs. Key Achievements:
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JOHN A. DILLON

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As an effective Leader, promoted interdisciplinary collaboration including skill, and

knowledge sharing.

Built embedded micro-controller mixed signal based Battery Temperature Time

Management System that met hardware and software requirements of DO-160 & DO-178
and FAA TSO C43b standards. Unit still operates in Bell Helicopters.

Invented automated VIP Helicopter footstep controller for Bell 430. Determined Step
Positions using switchless actuator current sensing electronics to find step positions.

Initiated development of Air Conditioning System 40 Amp variable-speed blower controller

unit still operating in the Bell 412 ECS.

Developed Fiber-Optic channeling system for remote mounted aircraft Flexcom radios,
achieving reduced system weight by eliminating channeling and control wiring.

Used programmable logic and mixed signal circuitry to build panel mounted autopilot
controller for first single pilot IFR Bell 407 STC.Met TSO-C52b standards.

Built dual voltage dimming system for 28 & 5 Volt illumination for US Army Bell TH67
helicopters, utility LRUs, & Dallas Avionics audio interface impedance matching unit.

UNITED STATES NAVY

SSN NUCLEAR SUBMARINE (1973-1977)

Honorable Discharge, Secret Security Clearance, 10% Service Connected VA Disability,

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

STUDIES TOWARD BACHELOR DEGREE
University of Texas, El Paso, Texas, El Paso
Community College, El Paso, Texas
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
United States Navy Basic Submarine Course Basic Electronics & Electricity FTA Phase A School
Common Equipment Course Missile Subsystem Course Target Motion Analysis Course
AFFILIATIONS
Embedded Systems Group Aircraft Electronics Association, Past Member

COMPUTER SKILLS
PROGRAMMING
Assembly C Programming LabView VHDL Programming Visual Basic.
SOFTWARE TOOLS
LabView, MATLAB, MS Office, Quartus (EDA Tools), Electronics Workbench Multisim, MS Visio,
CorelDraw and Illustrator, OrCAD Capture & Layout, Valid Test Scripting, Xilinx and ModelSim,
VHDL development, CAFTA, EDA tool suite, MATLAB / Simulink Design Suite