ANN E-I-C Note: It's become one of the most
requested links from Aero-TV 2010... so here once
again is Part I of our August two-parter featuring
Lycoming Boss Michael Kraft and TCM CEO Rhett Ross...
enjoy!
The GA fuel scare is doing just that... scaring a fair
percentage of the GA population, especially now that a few of the
associations have woken up and decided to make hay out of the
issue. However; when you get two of the most important guys on the
subject together, namely the bosses of Lycoming and TCM, one gets
the feeling that we're going to lick this problem.
ANN put the heads of Teledyne Continental Motors and Lycoming
Engines together at Oshkosh 2010 and expected fireworks... but what
we got was a conversation between two deeply concerned experts who
presented a united and confident front as they prepare to take
aviation powerplants well into the 21st century.
From Lycoming, we spoke with Michael Kraft, the Senior Vice
President and General Manager, who succeeded Ian Walsh when he was
promoted to Chief Innovation Officer at Textron Systems. As
Lycoming's Senior Vice President and General Manager, Kraft
oversees all aspects of the business, reporting to the COO of
Textron Systems. Formerly Lycoming's Vice President of Research,
Development & Engineering, Kraft led a high-performing team
that accelerated product development, while still meeting the
company's high engine safety and performance standards.
He also led Lycoming's Air Safety Investigation unit. Kraft
joined Lycoming in 2007 following engineering and general
management positions at Andritz, GE Power Systems and GE Aircraft
Engines. He holds bachelor and master degrees in Aeronautics and
Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Joining him was Teledyne Continental Motors' Boss Rhett Ross.
Following completion of a Bachelors Degree in Nuclear Engineering
and a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Ross has focused
his career on managing engineering operations and businesses in the
power and energy sector. He has been involved in both private
startup and public company businesses ranging in size from $1
million per year to $200 million per year.
Rhett C. Ross has served as the President, Aerospace Engines and
Components Segment of Teledyne Technologies Inc since November 5,
2007, and is also referred to as the President of the Aerospace
Engines and Components segment. Prior to that he was the President
of Teledyne Energy Systems, Inc. since its formation in June 2001.
As the President of Teledyne Continental Motors, Inc., Ross has
presided over an extensive upgrade of TCM's manufacturing
operations and proven to be an innovative manager of one of GA's
most 'powerful' entities.
ANN is pleased to present a no-holds-barred conversation on the
future of GA fuels... and GA powerplants... with TCM's Rhett Ross
and Lycoming's Michael Kraft -- Part One.
Klyde Morris (05.02.25)
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