FAA names new buying and R&D chiefs
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Herman A. Rediess will fill FAA's long-vacant aviation research director slot and help manage aviation systems R&D duties. The Federal Aviation Administration recently hired a new procurement chieftain and a new research czar. The agency last month named Steven B. Zaidman its next associate administrator for research and acquisitions, a job that involves overseeing procurements for FAA's systems modernization.
Herman A. Rediess will
fill FAAs long-vacant aviation research director slot and help manage aviation
systems R&D duties.
The Federal Aviation Administration recently hired a new procurement chieftain and a
new research czar.
The agency last month named Steven B. Zaidman its next associate administrator for
research and acquisitions, a job that involves overseeing procurements for FAAs
systems modernization.
This month, FAA tapped Herman A. Rediess to fill its long-vacant aviation research
director post. Part of that job will entail managing aviation systems R&D.
As associate administrator for research and acquisitions, Zaidman will be responsible
for setting FAA acquisition policy, overseeing research programs, approving systems
prototyping and monitoring IRM programs.
Steve is well-qualified to direct our critical research and acquisition programs
as FAA modernizes the worlds most complex air traffic control systems, FAA
administrator Jane F. Garvey said.
Zaidman most recently was acting deputy in the Research and Acquisitions Office. Before
that he was director of FAAs Office of Systems Architecture and Investment
Analysis.
He succeeds George Donohue, who left the agency earlier this year and is now teaching
at George Mason University. Dennis DeGaetano, who had been the acting associate
administrator, will return to his job as deputy associate administrator.
Zaidman has a bachelors degree in mathematics from Brooklyn College and a
masters degree in operations research from George Washington University.
In his new post, Rediess will spearhead the development of advanced technologies. FAA
works on its R&D in collaboration with industry, academia, NASA, the Defense
Department and professional societies. He will also manage human factors, aviation
security and safety R&D.
Rediess appointment strengthens the technical capabilities and reputation
of FAAs research and development activities, Garvey said.
Most recently, Rediess was chief scientist for test and evaluation at FAAs
William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J. Before that, he was director of
research at the agencys Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif., and
manager of the Office of Electronics and Human Factors at FAA.
He succeeds Andreas Zellweger. Jan Brecht-Clark, deputy director of aviation research ,
had been standing in as acting director since Zellwegers departure.
Rediess has a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from the University of
California at Berkeley, a masters degree in aerospace engineering from the
University of Southern California and a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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