Howdy! I love country and western music and I want to introduce myself to you. My name is Thomas C. McMurtry and I am the Director for Flight Operations at Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering and I was a Naval Aviator in the United States Navy. I completed the course work while in the Navy to graduate from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Today, I have two personal airplanes, a Piper J-3 Cub and a WACO UPF-7 Open-cockpit Biplane. I won these two aircraft and I do love to fly and maintain these airplanes! I have been blessed and very fortunate to have had such a rewarding career.

Let me tell you about my background and how I got to where I am today in my career choice. I grew up in Rockville, Indiana. This small town did not influence my career choice, but its atmosphere and environment did cultivate my sense of values. Also, my family has provided teaching and good examples. I have one brother. He recently retired from the staff at The Pennsylvania State University, where he was the Associate Dean of Engineering.

When I was growing up I loved sports competition, so I thought that I would like to be a high school coach. There have been numerous teachers who have influenced my life. I believe that I am a positive oriented person, so I tend to remember the teachers who I admired and respected. There are teachers from grade school, high school, college and my career whom I have learned much from.

The teachers that primarily influenced me always seemed to be enthusiastic about what they were trying to teach. While attending college, I was a member of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). During some of my class work I had an instructor who was a Navy pilot who had served during the Korean War. He told many interesting stories about his experiences in aviation. I thought that aviation sounded exciting and challenging as a career choice. Later I applied for the Naval Aviation Training Program and was accepted. I have usually been a "good" student, but not an outstanding student. I liked to volunteer to help get activities supported. As a result, I have often been asked to take some type of a leadership role.

Almost all of the work that I do today is done in teams. It is hard to describe a typical day, because flight operations tend to be very dynamic activities. Some days seem to be a constant series of meetings. Other days include some type of flying activity. I am very fortunate to have a very competent group of people who I work with. Together we try to complete our requirements in a safe and orderly manner.

I believe that I am the poorest judge of my own skills. As far as a favorite skill is concerned, I do love to fly airplanes! I believe that I have a weakness in establishing long-term goals for myself. I tend to set goals on the basis of what opportunities come along on a short-term basis. I certainly encourage others to establish clear goals for themselves in both their careers and their short-term activities. I really don't consider myself unique. I believe that I have to deal with most of the challenges of life just like others. Of course, none of us are exactly alike.

My wife and children are very supportive of my career choice and I enjoy spending time sharing activities with my family. My favorite foods are sweets and my favorite color is green. I have 8 children ranging in ages from 29 to 14 and my wife is a homemaker. We have a black Labrador dog named "Bear". My favorite book is titled "Trinity" and I love to fly all types of airplanes.

There are numerous avenues for one to follow in preparing themselves for a career in aeronautics. There are many skill areas which are used in support of aeronautical activities. Mostly, one should attempt to develop skills in areas which they truly enjoy, committing themselves to them. I hope that aeronautic careers address challenges in our society such as transportation and environment, plus many others. I would encourage young people today to consider a career in aeronautics. I chose a career in aeronautics and have never had any other type of job. I believe that this speaks for itself... in the level of satisfaction that I have had in this career choice.

Questions for Thomas:

What are you doing now? What is your title? What are your primary duties?
My current job is primarily administrative. I am able to do some active flying. My job title is Director for Flight Operations at Dryden. The primary function of the position is to provide leadership for the activities supported by the Flight Operations Directorate.