Tombo Jones, Director of the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership
Topics he can speak on:
- Procedures for multiple aircraft flying under the control of an air traffic control tower
- How a Blackhawk is crewed – he flew that aircraft for years.
Bio –
Jones leads MAAP’s work as an FAA-designated UAS test site as well as its leadership of Virginia’s team in the BEYOND program, directing the management and growth of a portfolio that encompasses major federal drone-integration initiatives and complex technical research projects.
Jones joined MAAP in 2017, after serving for 12 years in the U.S. Coast Guard in a series of progressively larger management roles, and became MAAP’s associate director two years later. At MAAP, Jones’ experience with operational risk assessment and management formed the basis for the group’s systematic, risk-based process for safety case development — a framework that has been instrumental in enabling MAAP to win unprecedented approvals and become a model for the industry. His talent for cultivating a supportive team culture characterized by an unwavering commitment to both excellence and safety supported MAAP during a period of rapid expansion and continue to be at the core of the group’s successful execution of ambitious projects that have meaningfully advanced UAS integration.
Before joining the Coast Guard, Jones served in the U.S. Army, where he received numerous awards and commendations including the Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star.
Jones is a member of multiple professional groups and organizations including the UAS Working Group of the Helicopter Association International and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. He is a certified air transport pilot and a certified flight instructor with an instrument rating.
=============
Ella Atkins, can speak to the aviation aspects of the DC plane collision. She can definitely talk on airspace as well.
Bio:
Atkins is Fred D. Durham Professor and Head of the Kevin T. Crofton Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department at Virginia Tech. She was previously a Professor in the University of Michigan’s Aerospace Engineering and Robotics Departments. Dr. Atkins holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan. She is an AIAA Fellow and private pilot. She has authored over 250 refereed journal and conference papers. Dr. Atkins pursues research in AI-enabled autonomy and control to support resilience and contingency management in manned and unmanned Aerospace applications with focus on Advanced Air Mobility and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS). She is Editor-in-Chief of the AIAA Journal of Aerospace Information Systems (JAIS).
