USAFA Class Histories

Biography

of

James L. Martin

 

 

 

James L. Martin is a native of Kansas City, MO. He is a graduate of the USAF Academy and has a Masters Degree (MBA) from the University of Dayton. Following pilot training he flew world-wide airlift missions for the Military Airlift Command, Travis AFB, CA, in the C-135B and C-141A Aircraft. He was selected for fighter training in 1966, and subsequently flew 289 combat missions in the F-100D in Southeast Asia from 1967-1968.  He was then selected to attend the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards AFB, CA. Following graduation, he served as an Air Force test pilot on experimental and developmental flight test programs for Air Force Systems Command, Wright-Patterson, OH. Most noteworthy of these were the development of the Category IIIB All Weather Landing System for the C-141A aircraft and adverse runway condition tests which resulted in the standards in use today. After leaving active duty, Mr. Martin joined the 708th Military Airlift Squadron (Associate Reserve) as a C-141A/B pilot and served in the unit in various capacities from 1974-1989, and as Commander from 1987 to 1989. Following promotion to COL, he was assigned as Chief of Safety, 4th AF, McClellan AFB, CA. and as IMA to the Commander 6510th Test Wing, Edwards AFB, CA. from June 1991 to 1993. In April 1993, he was assigned as the MA to the Director Requirements, HQ AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He later served as the MA to the Commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center. He served in the rank of Brigadier General as the MA to the Commander of Pacific Air Forces and later as the MA to the Commander of Pacific Command. He holds the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 16 oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star.

 

In 1973, Mr. Martin was employed as a research pilot by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at the Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA. He served if various piloting and management capacities at Ames and eventually as Chief of Flight Operations. In this capacity, he was responsible for all activities relating to the conduct of flight research and airborne science involving world wide operations in the ER-2 and DC-8 remote sensing and earth survey aircraft as well as experimental powered-lift, and advanced concept rotorcraft and related sub-systems development.

 

Mr. Martin has flown over 20,000 hours in more than 120 military/civilian aircraft. He is a Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and has life memberships in the Air Force Association, the Reserve Officers Association, the Senior Executive Association, and the USAF Academy Alumni Association. He currently lives in Reno, NV and has four adult children and four grandchildren.

 

 

 

 

FLIGHT TEST EXPERIENCE

 

NASA/AMES RESEARCH CENTER, MOFFETT FIELD, CA.

1976-1991     Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA)

Source Evaluation Board (SEB)

Cockpit/Systems Development

Pre-Flight Simulation

First Flight/Contractor Flight Tests

Proof of Concept Testing

Sea Trials, USS Kitty Hawk

1983 Paris Airshow Flight Demonstration

Advanced Avionics System

C-17 In-Flight Simulation

Jump Strut

 

1984-1995     V/STOL Research Aircraft (VSRA)

(YAV-8B Harrier)

Cockpit Instrumentation Development

Advanced Control System Development/Simulation

Wing Pressure/Flow Studies

Precision Hover Task

Parameter Identification

1973-1995     C-141A/Kuiper Observatory

Observatory Development

On-going IR Astronomy

Passive flow device flight test

1976-1986     Oblique Wing Research

Remotely Piloted Aircraft Program

AD-1 Flight Evaluation/Simulation

F-8 SEB

F-8 Simulation Evaluation

1973-1995     Other NASA Research Aircraft Programs:

Augmentor Wing Research Aircraft

Twin Otter STOL Research Aircraft

C-130/Earth Survey Aircraft

CV-990/Airborne Science Aircraft

XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft

YO-3/Acoustical Research Aircraft

DC-8/Airborne Science Aircraft

Learjet 24/Airborne Science Aircraft

 

2006-2009             Falcon 2000 Winglet FAA Certification Program

 

 

U.S. AIR FORCE TEST PROGRAMS:

1969-1972     C-141A

CAT IIIB All Weather Landing system

Fly-By-Wire Flight control System

Runway Surface Preparation Testing with NASA/Langley

Aerial Delivery Load Certification

All Weather Aerial Delivery System

Advanced Manned Strategic Aircraft/

AMSA (B-1) Defensive Systems

1969-1972     C/KC-135A/B

Initial Refueling Tests F-111D, F-4E, C-5A

Icing Tests using spray tanker on C-5A, A-7D, F-111D

Zero Gravity Programs/Apollo Spacecraft Crew Training

Lunar Rover Test, Biomedical Testing, etc.

AMSA (B-1) Offensive/Defensive Systems

Tactical Satellite Communications/SHF (TACSATCOM)

Collins FD-109 Flight Director acceptance testing

PUBLICATIONS SUMMARY

€œFlight Investigation of the Use of a Nose Gear Jump Strut to Reduce

Takeoff Ground Roll Distance of STOL Aircraft€, NASA TM, May 1994.

"Moving Base Simulation Evaluation of Control System Concepts and 

Design Criteria for STOVL Aircraft", NASA TM, June 1991.

"Limited Flying Qualities and Performance Evaluation of the NAL

ASKA", NASA TM, May 1990.

"Simulation Evaluation of Transition and Hover Flying Qualities 

of Mixed-Flow Remote-Lift STOVL Aircraft. NASA TM, Feb 1990.

"Technological Assessment of the NAL ASKA Research Aircraft

Program", Subcommittee of Japanese Parliament, Mar 1990.

"Simulation Evaluation of Transition and Hover Flying Qualities 

of the E-7A STOVL Aircraft. NASA TM, AUG 1988.

"Flight Evaluation of Augmented Controls for Approach and Landing

of Powered-Lift Aircraft, 1985, AIAA.

"Powered-Lift Takeoff Performance Characteristics Determined From

Flight Test of the QSRA", Nov. 1981, AIAA-81-2409.

"Powered-Lift STOL Aircraft Shipboard Operations: A Comparison of

Simulation Land-Based and Sea Trial Results for the QSRA",

Nov. 1981, AIAA-81-2409.

"Sea Trials of the QSRA", Sept. 1980, SETP Paper.

"The Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft", Sept. 1979, SETP Paper.

"Oblique Wing RPV Flight Test Program and Results", 1976, NASA TM.

"Twin Otter Direct Lift Control Flight Program", 1976, NASA TM.

"Comparison of Wet and Dry Stopping Distances for a Heavy Jet Aircraft

on Various Runway Surface Preparations", 1972, AF TM.

"Results of a CAT IIIB All Weather Landing System Test", 1971, AF TM.