Clayton Smith is a seasoned engineer with a diverse background in aerospace and defense. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics & Astronautics from Purdue University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington, and a Professional Certificate from MIT in Systems Engineering of Complex Systems.
Currently, Clayton is a Principal Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Labs, where he serves as the lead aerodynamicist for a variety of hypersonics programs. In this role, he is responsible for leading the team through major milestones and for interfacing directly with program leadership, senior scientists, and the sponsor. He has also developed and implemented computational fluid dynamics tools that produce high-quality aerodynamic predictions in a fraction of the time and cost of traditional methods.
Previously, Clayton was the Chief Engineer of Hypersonics & Small UAS at General Atomics, where he automated the aerodynamic and structural design of hypersonic vehicles and oversaw wind tunnel and flight testing. He also served as a UAS Configurations Engineer at The Boeing Company, where he developed new technologies and configurations for unmanned systems, and as a Lead Aerodynamics Engineer in Boeing Commercial Airplanes, where he designed and analyzed aircraft configurations, and led the planning and execution of wind tunnel tests.
Throughout his career, Clayton has consistently demonstrated the ability to identify and develop new technologies, manage budgets, and lead teams in the design and integration of complex systems. He is recognized as a technical resource in the field of small hypersonic vehicles, and is skilled in computational fluid dynamics, wind tunnel testing, and aircraft design.
Posted in
Dr. Mark Bateup has spent a career spanning 25 years in rocketry and hypersonics within the science and technology research group of the Australian Department of Defence.
A large part of his career has been involved in flight trials and experimentation, both at ground-test facilities and through free-flight trials. He has investigated rocket motor service-life extension for solid rocket motors for a range of missile systems and human safety-critical ejection systems, such as on the F-111 aircraft. His PhD in Aerospace from the University of Queensland involved investigation of hydrocarbon fuel in a scramjet duct. This research was conducted within one of Australia’s free-piston reflected shock tubes.
Mark was a critical team member of the USA-Australian collaboration in the Hypersonic International Flight Research and Experimentation (HIFiRE) Program as well as its predecessors: HyCAUSE and HyShot. These programs had a combined total of more than a dozen flight trials investigating hypersonic phenomena for both external and internal aerodynamics. He also spent several years in the Australian aerospace industry where he led a team that developed safety templates for rocket and missile systems through Monte Carlo analyses.
He has a passion for education across the STEM domain and is a great believer in the ‘learn by doing’ philosophy. He serves on the Committee of the AIAA Adelaide Section as a lifetime Member of the AIAA.
Posted in
Phyllis White brings over 50 years of business and administration experience to White Eagle Aerospace. As Executive Director, she stands beside her husband, Terry, as the face of our company. With her positive and upbeat demeanor, she maintains warm, caring relationships with our clients, students and instructors. Her well-honed organizational skills keep our business running smoothly as she performs countless executive tasks. Phyllis is lovingly known, in and out of the business, as the quintessential “Mother Hen”.
After graduating from Skadron Business College with an Executive Secretarial degree, she held several administrative positions. Just prior to beginning her career as a homemaker, she worked as a secretary in the STANDARD Missile Program Office at General Dynamics in Pomona, CA. It was there she met Terry, who was working as an engineer and they married shortly thereafter.
Prior to the launch of White Eagle Aerospace, Phyllis ran several home-based businesses.While raising their five children, she’s remained especially active in her local church and community. In her spare time, she loves soaking up the Arizona sunshine, enjoying her 9 precious grandchildren, researching her family’s genealogy, reading, crafting, quilting and traveling with her husband.
Posted in
J. Terry White is president and CEO of White Eagle Aerospace. His 50 years of professional aerospace experience includes the NASA Space Shuttle Program, NASA X-43A Flight Research Project, and the United States Navy STANDARD Missile Program. During his far-ranging professional career, Terry has served on the engineering technical staff of Rockwell International, General Dynamics Corporation, Hughes Missile Systems Company, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center and Raytheon Missile Systems. In addition, he has served as an engineering consultant to numerous corporate and private aerospace enterprises.
Terry is a subject matter technical expert in the disciplines of aerodynamics, 6-DOF aerodynamics models, aerothermodynamics, hypersonics, flight simulation, and flight testing.
Terry previously served as manager of the Aerodynamics Department in the Guidance, Navigation, and Control Center at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona. In this capacity, he was responsible for all aerodynamics work performed at the world’s largest tactical missile producer. He concluded his career with Raytheon in 2010 as a Senior Engineering Fellow in Aerodynamics.
Terry has authored more than 180 technical papers on a wide variety of aero-science and aerospace subjects. His teaching credentials include 15 years as an instructor in the Aerospace Engineering Department of the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, 10 years as an instructor in the professional development program at Raytheon and 17 years developing and teaching technical courses at White Eagle Aerospace. Those who have taken Terry’s courses say that he brings an extensive technical knowledge and uncommon instructional skill to the training environment.
Terry is particularly well-known for his inspiring aerospace history presentations, which are intense, technically relevant reviews of significant events in United States aerospace history. He has lectured extensively on aerospace history topics at the USAF Test Pilot School, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, academia and industry.
Terry and his wife Phyllis reside in Oro Valley, Arizona. They are the happy parents of five remarkable children and the grateful grandparents of nine delightful grandchildren.
Posted in