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Brazil, Flight Test, Caipirinha, and the Fine Art of Saying “Obrigado”

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I arrived in Brazil on Saturday, March 21, after the kind of travel day that sounds efficient on paper and feels like a minor act of endurance in real life: DFW to Miami, then overnight to São Paulo. I had chosen first class, thinking I needed to arrive rested, polished, and ready to represent SFTE with dignity.  But if you're not going to eat the food, well, maybe premium economy is good enough... I did start watching a great movie, titled "The Life of Chuck."   Landing in São Paulo, I stepped out of Terminal 3 at GRU, requested my Uber Comfort as planned, and made my way to Hotel Heritage on Rua Fernando de Albuquerque in Consolação. The airport-to-city transition was easier than expected, which is always a pleasant surprise when arriving in a country where your language skills are mostly limited to hope, pointing, and “Obrigado.”  From the airplane window, São Paulo looked endless: towers, neighborhoods, green corridors, haze, density, motion. It was not a city th...
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Going Supersonic in "Sunny" Colorado

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  Boom Aerospace is the quintessential American dream story.  Great ideas, engineers, and entrepreneurs.  It was so neat to visit and learn about how this team made history. And with my dear friend Dave we got to hike in the mountains.  We were going to go skiing, but climate change is real... My SFTE  News Release  below SFTE President Visits Boom Supersonic to Present JSM Award 03/04/2026 SFTE President  Jeff Canclini  visited  Boom Supersonic headquarters in Centennial, Colorado , where he presented the  James S. McDonnell Team Award  to the  XB-1 flight test team  in recognition of their outstanding achievement in flight test engineering. The visit included a discussion with  Boom Founder and CEO Blake Scholl , who shared the story behind Boom’s founding and the vision driving the development of next-generation supersonic transport. During the visit,  XB-1 Test Director and current Head of Engine Programs Nic...
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Location: Denver, CO, USA
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Wichita, Kansas - A Mecca for Flight Test in the Midwest

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  Bombardier, Airbus Americas, and Textron.  3 birds in on week.  I was impressed with the vitality and opportunity for aerospace in the middle of the flatlands.  Don't think I would want to live my life there unless there was a REALLY cool aircraft to fly.  Word is ShieldAI is building a test facility 40 miles to the north.  A change is acoming.   My SFTE news release is below   Left to right: SFTE Vice President Ben Poval, Airbus Americas Vice President John O’Leary, and SFTE President Jeff Canclini at Airbus Americas Headquarters in Wichita. SFTE President Jeff Canclini recently completed a three-day visit to Wichita, Kansas, strengthening connections with industry partners and engaging with local SFTE members while advancing the Society’s mission to elevate flight test engineering excellence. The visit began with Jeff delivering a remote presentation to the UK Royal Air Force Flight Test Engineer Career Forum, where he spoke on emer...
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Location: Wichita, KS, USA
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Antelope Valley, California - Experiencing Firsts in the Land of the Firsts

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  Just before the holidays began, I headed out to flight test mecca to do some SFTE evangelizing. The Antelope Valley, Home to the "Right Stuff" and many firsts, was my destination.  And my trip was a series of delightful professional and personal firsts. I stayed with my old friend Dan "Dog" Canin, until recently the chief pilot for the X-59, until a medical "trip wire" (and some politics) prevented him from piloting the first flight of an aircraft he had been helping develop for 8 years.  The big vistas from home in the hills overlooking Palmdale were thought-provoking.   The AV valley air is dry and clean.  I like California for that.   The first morning, I had the privilege of meeting with the Retired Major Gen and now B-21 T&E lead, Chris "Pizano" Anzzano, and his Dir Bill Condor Koyama, a former LM Test Pilot.  We swapped a few stories, and I learned even at their level, they are always in a "low-grade fight" to gain T&E r...
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Location: Edwards AFB, CA, USA
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ITPS - In London, Canada

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  The 2025 ITPS symposium was another great opportunity to meet expert and novice flight testers and learn important flight test insights on a wide range of topics.  I chose to drive from Detroit in light snowy weather.  I am so glad I live in a modern society with heat and shelter.  Not sure I could have survived in the American Revolutionary days.  At the Canadian border, we were stopped as we learned that you can't enter Canada to give a talk if you are there for more than 5 days without a visa.  Fortunately we weren't.  Arriving at the Hardrock Hotel I was informed they  had a huge assortment of classic guitars and vinyl records that you can check out for free. Great for me to practice for my upcoming performance of "Carol of the Bells" London, Canada Hard Rock Hotel- Guitar   It is very encouraging to see another cadre of flight testers gaining the key competencies necessary for becoming "4C" (i.e., Competent, Confident, Courageous, Comm...
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Location: London, ON, Canada
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