Tech Topics - Spring 2008 - (Page 29)

Burdell&Friends TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION JOHN FLINCHUM’S CAREER FLYING HIGH AS AIRCRAFT ENGINEER AT 75 By Gary Goettling A t a time when most members of his Georgia Tech class of 1958 are taking it easy, John A. Flinchum is as busy as ever. The mechanical engineering graduate spent most of his professional life in aircraft systems design, and at age 75, he’s still at it. His latest project is designing a fuel management system for Piper Aircraft’s new small jet, the company’s first venture into the personal and business jet market. “I get up at 5, and I usually go in to work about 6 o’clock in the morning,” said Flinchum, who lives in Vero Beach, Fla., with his wife, Margaret. “I work a lot on Sundays, but I don’t work a lot of total hours each week. I try to keep it under 40 if I can, but if something comes up, I don’t mind staying longer.” Under 40? Flinchum shrugged. “I don’t fish and I don’t golf, but I really enjoy the challenges of engineering. I guess my vocation and avocation have been the same throughout my career.” The PiperJet project, which Flinchum joined in mid-2006, represents a significant new direction for a company that has manufactured propeller-driven airplanes since 1936. Scheduled John Flinchum, ME 58, just can’t retire. Piper Aircraft has enlisted him — again. This time he was hired to design a fuel management system for the new PiperJet. for delivery during the first half of 2010, the six-passenger PiperJet carries a single turbofan engine incorporated into the vertical tail. The aircraft is advertised to fly at 35,000 feet at speeds of up to 360 knots, higher and faster than its competition. “My goals are to make the fuel system as safe and as dirt- simple as possible,” he explained. “These jets aren’t flown by someone who flies a couple thousand hours a year. Quite a few of them are going to be owner operated, and they’re going to need all the help they can get.” One of the notable features of Flinchum’s design is the automation of fuel tank control, thereby eliminating the need for pilots to continually switch between tanks manually to keep the load balanced. Many a crash attributed to “pilot error” has resulted from the failure to switch tanks and the active one running out of fuel. “You want to be able to get in the plane, and if you’ve got enough fuel to get where you’re going, that’s all you have to worry about.” The PiperJet has brought Flinchum full circle. After graduating from Tech, he spent several years on active duty in the U.S. Navy, which taught him to fly, and the Navy Reserve, retiring with the rank of lieutenant commander. One of his first jobs in the private sector started in 1966 with Piper Aircraft, for which he worked as a senior systems engineer. His many responsibilities during his 12year stint at the Vero Beach-based light-airplane manufacturer included design and certification of the airconditioning systems for the Cherokee and Cherokee Six. He also designed fuel systems for the twin-engine Seneca II and Seminole planes. More than 30 years later, Flinchum’s basic systems are still used in the latest models of those aircraft. TECHTOPICS | SPRING 2008 29

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Tech Topics - Spring 2008 Contents Mail Call Gold & White Honors Alumni House Sweet Spring Centennial Buzz Supreme Court Victory The Hill ‘Treasure Trove’ of Stories Living History Forget-me-not Fashion Student Life Investing in Graduates Giving Back Training the Next Generation Burdell & Friends Ingredients for Success Yellow Jackets Hockey Club Ices Georgia Tech Job Hunters Fare Well Real World

Tech Topics - Spring 2008

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