October_2021 - 30

Jesse M. Klein, 37, Director of Maintenance & Safety Officer, MicroStrategy Services Corp., Tysons Corner, VA
" P
erhaps now more than ever, our industry needs honest, ethical,
hard-working role models to stoke the interest and pass
the torch to a new generation waiting in the wings. Jesse Klein is
that role model, and embodies the very essence of the unflappable
integrity and proficiency that our industry so demands. We owe it
to him, those like him, and to aviation as a whole, to celebrate these
otherwise unsung heroes of our industry. " David Carmichael, owner
of Aerotech Solutions LLC, concluded his 40 Under 40 nomination
of Jesse Klein with those words. Klein is the director of maintenance
and safety officer at MicroStrategy Services Corp in Virginia.
" Jesse set a course for excellence early in his career and has
never looked back, nor ever accepted anything less from himself, "
Carmichael said.
At age 17, Klein, inspired by his grandfather (a U.S. Air Force veteran
with a 42-year career in the aerospace and defense industry),
joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard 171st Air Refueling
Wing. He was a crew chief performing isochronal/phase inspections
and line maintenance on the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker.
In 2005 Klein moved to Connecticut to work for Bombardier
Aerospace as an A&P technician in the Global Express/XRS/5000
Program. He transferred to the Connecticut Air National Guard to
continue his military service and was stationed at the 103rd Fighter
Wing, Bradley Field. As a crew chief on the Fairchild Republic A-10
Thunderbolt II, he performed phase inspections,
line maintenance, and launch and
recoveries until his contract ended (2007).
In 2007 he moved to Washington, D.C. to
work for J.E. Robert Companies as a corporate
A&P technician on the company-owned
Global XRS until the flight department dissolved
in 2010. Then he started doing contract
work, mostly for Bombardier Aerospace Entry
into Service Team. His contracts involved accompanying newly
purchased aircraft and assisting the manufacturer and operators.
After " living out of a suitcase for a year, " he received a call from BAE
Systems in Washington, D.C. to work as an A&P technician maintaining
the company's Dassault Falcon 2000LX and Falcon 900EX.
In 2016 he became director of maintenance for MicroStrategy's
Global XRS. Here he is also the safety officer and oversees the safety
management system. Carmichael said, " Jesse provides a clear
example for all that integrity and hard work are paramount, and
an unwavering commitment to safety, quality and professionalism
is the only path to true success in our industry. Jesse has trained
to the highest standards in order to perfect his craft and in addition
to his A&P certificate and FAA excellence in training awards,
holds the hard-earned Master Technician certification from FSI. "
Yasantha Pathirana, 33, Maintenance Manager & Engineer, MAG Engine Systems, Singapore
" I
strongly believe that it takes lot of courage and focus to be in
aviation industry, and I have yet to see any industry, which
is highly regulated as aviation industry, " -Yasantha Pathirana,
maintenance (operations/engineering) manager and engineer,
MAG Engine Systems PVT LTD. in Singapore.
Pathirana is a Part 145 Nominated Maintenance Manager for
MAG Engine Systems, an MRO focusing on CFM56 engine component
repairs. At the same time, he performs the duties of an
engineer providing daily technical support to the MRO including
new product and capability development.
Since 2015, Pathirana has been working for Singapore-based
aviation companies. " Singapore's strong aviation market has given
me the opportunities to work for world-class aircraft OEMs such
as Safran Group and allowed me to live my dream to the fullest, "
he said.
Prior to working for MAG, he held engineering and technical
positions with Safran Group, focusing on landing gear overhauls
for Airbus A330 and Airbus A380 nose landing gear. This was where
he had the opportunity to get involved with the first Airbus A380
nose landing gear overhaul program.
In school, he excelled in academics. While receiving a diploma
in aerospace engineering (Republic Polytechnic, Singapore), he
was awarded a gold medal sponsored by Pratt & Whitney for outstanding
academic performances. Moreover, he achieved multiple
30 OCTOBER 2021
academic awards from 2012 to 2015. He also
obtained a bachelor's in mechanical engineering
with first-class honors from the University
of Sunderland.
As a child who lived near a military aircraft
flight path, he remembers being amazed by
the aircraft flying over.
As an adult in the aviation industry, he said,
" I hope to give back to the industry by working
to my full potential to ensure a safer and promising air travel for the
years to come while helping the organizations to meet their goals
and help passionate younger individuals to explore and develop
within the industry. "
Since 2011, Pathirana has been writing a blog (https://aviamech.
blogspot.com/) on basic aircraft systems and their engineering
principles. The blog has been accessed by readers from more than
200 countries and been visited by nearly 160,000 unique visitors.
He is an elected member of Singapore Institute of Aerospace
Engineers - SIAE, an organization dedicated to promoting aviation
safety and aerospace technology, and The Institution of Engineers,
Singapore.
Pathirana's nominator for the 40 Under 40 award said, " Yasantha
is an accomplished individual who has always been passionate
about aviation engineering. "
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY

https://aviamechblogspot.com/ https://www.aviamechblogspot.com/

October_2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October_2021