Sojourner - Traveling with the “Canman”

The gamble paid off!  Even with COVID rising and sponsors pulling out, the board of the Society of Flight Test Engineers chose to go ahead with holding a hybrid symposium of both virtual and face-to-face attendees.  Listening to the amazing talks and connecting with professionals I had 3 big takeaways: 1.  There are some awesome and young aerospace talent in the business 2. In person events offer some important intangibles for communicating and connecting.  3. Hybrid events can work to connect more of a body and disseminate knowledge  My colleague and long-time friend James Sergeant (currently Director of Virgin Space Flight Test) received the prestigious Kelly Johnson award and the Bell team received the James S. McDonnel award for the flight test accomplishments of the Bell V-280.  Both awards richly deserved by the recipients.  And I got to meet board members whom I have been working but never met in person before.  Such a brave new world we are living in! SFTE Board Members (L to

September- My last work trip to Japan before retirement! I had hoped COVID-19 restrictions might die down, but the Tokyo Olympics contributed to a spike that resulted in another "state of emergency " Translation 14 day quarantine required. But this time rather in a hotel room in the lodging at Yokota AFB (a little northwest of Tokyo) which gave me the opportunity to leave my room to eat at the on-base food court and play racquetball.  Nice change from last quarantines.  But certainly not a "cultural event" or the best use of my precious time.  Yokota is like being on a typical air force base but with looming dormant volcano's in the distance (yes that's Mt Fuji in the background)  Chili's, McDonald's, Taco Bell, officers club and commissary.  Given the limited culinary options I chose to sometimes cook - for which my colleagues greatly enjoyed :)   September is a rainy month in southern Japan (the typhoon season) and it this respect it did not disapp