Simulation fascination Charles Bailey is a C-17 test engineer in Boeing Training Systems & Government Services, part of Defense, Space & Security. In this Frontiers series that profiles employees discussing their jobs, Bailey talks about the importance of working closely with C-17 customers—and his lifelong passion for aviation. Frontiers September 2014 09 WHAT WE DO For this Boeing engineer, the C-17 program provides real—and virtual—opportunities As told to Ashley Johnson, with photo by Rich Rau I was hooked on flying the first time my father handed me the controls. He was an aviation business owner and aircraft salesman who had been a test pilot and captain with the Royal Canadian Air Force. I was 7 years old, and the thrill of having the controls and thinking I was actually flying a twin-engine airplane set the course for my career. I worked as an airline pilot for 34 years, 11 of which were spent flying and instructing on the 767. I also had the opportunity to fly the 707, 727 and 757, and accept new airplanes for my airline at Boeing Field in Seattle, where I was impressed by Boeing’s emphasis on quality control. When I retired I wanted a new challenge, so I sought out an engineering director at Boeing for an informational interview. Eventually I was hired as test director of the KC-767 tanker program (the predecessor to today’s KC-46A tanker), and then I moved to the C-17 Globemaster III test engineering program, where my job is to ensure that the C-17 simulators and other training devices work just like the real aircraft. Working with simulators is natural for me. At age 12, I built my first simulator using an old single-engine fuselage, wings made of wood and an Indiana cornfield as my runway. I powered a homemade beacon and landing lights with 110-volt electricity from a detached garage—and blew many fuses in the process. Joining the C-17 program was like going to school on a new type of aircraft. The main difference between commercial jetliners and military aircraft is the mission. The mission for commercial airliners is to fly from point A to point B in all types of weather and stay on schedule; the mission for the C-17 is to transport troops and cargo. Offloading cargo in a combat zone is complicated and requires a lot of training. Military pilots are trained in formation flying and assault landings on short runways, and the C-17 simulator has visual models to replicate these maneuvers. My co-workers and I write test procedures, meet with customers, and show them how the hardware and software works. Having a good rapport with the customer and establishing trust is crucial. Meeting the requirements and needs of the U.S. Air Force and other customers isn’t easy. But in June, we made back-to-back deliveries in Memphis, Tenn., and the United Arab Emirates— that’s two C-17 Training Centers delivered on schedule, one day apart, to locations half a world apart. Another part of my job is guiding tours of the simulator and demonstrating the C-17’s unmatched capabilities. At 400,000 pounds (181,400 kilograms) gross weight, the C-17 can land on a 90-foot-wide (27-meter-wide) gravel runway and stop in as little as 2,100 feet (640 meters)—what other aircraft its size can do that? I’ve given tours to everyone from members of Boeing’s board of directors and members of the U.S. Congress to foreign dignitaries, documentary crews and a child with cancer whose wish was to “fly” in a simulator. I’ve spent almost 11 years at Boeing, each of which has been exciting because every workday brings new challenges that I get to solve. It seems my whole life has been flying and engineering—and I wouldn’t have it any other way. n ashley.s.johnson@boeing.com
Frontiers September 2014 Issue
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