Hello, my name is James R. Phelps and I am Director of Safety and Mission Assurance at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Dryden Flight Research Center. I graduated in 1967 from California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering. After graduation, I was offered a position at the Flight Research Center as an Operations Engineer. I eventually went into management in the Research Engineering Division. I was Deputy Director of Flight Operations prior to my selection as Director of the Safety and Mission Assurance Office.

Where I work, at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, is probably best known as the place where the Space Shuttle lands in California. However, our primary job is flight research and we are recognized as the premiere flight research organization in the United States.

I was born in Pasadena California, but I spent my early years in Seattle Washington. My family moved back to California in 1958. I attended high school and junior college in Ontario before attending Cal Poly. I have a sister who worked for an Aerospace firm as an Administrative Assistant. My career choice was influenced by the fact that many members of my family were pilots or worked in the aviation industry.

I always wanted to work at Edwards Air Force Base (that's where NASA Dryden is also located) and be in flight testing. The fact that my father was a pilot and worked in the aviation industry was a great influence on my choice of careers. However, it was a junior college professor who convinced me to continue my education and go into Aeronautical Engineering. This professor took the time to understand me and discuss my goals with me. That ultimately helped me to reach my dream of working at NASA and Edwards.

In school academically I was a B student. I had to study hard to maintain that level of grade. I was a quiet person in school and didn't really become socially involved until college. If I could change anything about my schooling it would be in the following two areas. First, while in college I would have taken part in a Co-op program. This program allows students to spend time in the industry, usually about three semesters during your undergraduate education to experience actual on the job training and salary. Secondly, I would have continued my education while I worked. Most aerospace companies and the government (like NASA) have programs that will finance your continuing education.

I had summer jobs while I was going to school. However, upon graduation from college, I went directly to Dryden and have been there ever since. Some people at Dryden work alone, but most of us must work as part of teams. Since I am a manager and a supervisor, I tend to spend much of my day at meetings or doing paper work. I do relish the time I spend walking through the aircraft hangars or being in the control room during a research flight.

I enjoy working with people and putting together strong, dedicated teams. Being with extremely dedicated people and working on the most advanced airplanes in the world is the best thing about my job. You night not think so, but for me the worst part about the job is traveling and being away from home for long periods of time. Sometimes it is fun to see different places and meet different people.

As I mentioned earlier, my goal was to someday be at Edwards and work in flight testing. Don't forget, however, that career goals should not be your only concern. You should strive to have goals in your personal and family life. I am married and my wife is a secretary. We have three children. Two daughters 21 and 17, and one son 19. Our family has a Shetland Sheepdog, one cat and a parakeet. When I am not working I enjoy photography and sailing. My favorite food is salmon, my favorite color is orange, my favorite books are by Nelson DeMille, my favorite airplane is the P-51 and my favorite music is New Age. Some day I want to visit Australia.

I would recommend an aeronautic career for a young person. I think that a career in any aerospace-related work would be exciting and challenging for young people today. An aeronautic career is important to me because it is important to the country and the world. What we do at Dryden today could significantly influence the performance and safety of the airplanes and spacecraft of the future. An aeronautics career means that you are part of the process of bringing the world closer together with commercial aviation. Or, discovering how to make airplanes safer and more friendly to our environment. Or, using airplanes as scientific platforms to study and better understand the world we live in. In one way or another any career in aviation makes a difference in the quality of our lives.

Questions for James R. Phelps:

What is your educational background?
I graduated in 1967 from California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering.