John L. Minor

Professional Biography

John L. Minor has 35 years of technical and operational experience. He is an internationally recognized expert on military sensors, systems, and flight test. He is also a highly decorated instructor and lecturer.

During his career, Minor served on the technical staff of the Air Force Flight Test Center, the USAF Test Pilot School, Lockheed Martin and the Lockheed Skunk Works®, and others. He began his career with the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing as a sensor system specialist on the SR-71 and U-2 aircraft. Since, he has worked on a number of high-value military programs to include the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN), the F/A-18D(RC) Advanced Tactical Air Reconnaissance System (ATARS), and the RQ-3A TIER III Minus (Darkstar) Low Observable (LO) Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV), as well as numerous other classified programs.

As the USAF Test Pilot School's former Technical Director (2004-2008) and Systems Master Instructor (1999-2003), Minor was responsible for developing a state of the art curricula and teaching sensors, weapons, systems, electronic warfare, directed energy, and unmanned systems theory, operations, and flight test to the next generation of USAF Test Pilots, Electronic Warfare Officers, and Flight Test Engineers. He has taught many short courses for Society of Flight Test Engineers, the Association of Old Crows (AOC), Technology Training Corporation, and has lectured throughout Europe to the Royal Aeronautical Engineering Society (RAeS) and Technical Universities.

Minor holds BSEE/MSEE degrees from the University of New Mexico/Air Force Institute of Technology. He has been honored with numerous awards and decorations to include: the 412th Test Wing's Senior Leader of the Year Award, the Society of Flight Test Engineers Directors and Fellow Awards, the San Fernando Valley Engineers' Council Distinguished Engineering Project Achievement Award, and the Engineers' Council Distinguished Engineering Life Achievement Award for his educational contributions to the Edwards AFB engineering community. In 2010 he was awarded the "Kelly" Johnson Award for "Engineering Excellence" by the Society of Flight Test Engineers. Minor is currently Chief of the Systems Engineering Division for the Ogden Air Logistics Center Engineering Directorate.