yee@trident.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (11/07/90)
Sarah Keegan
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. November 5, 1990
(Phone: 202/453-2754) 4 P.M. EST
Del Harding
Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif.
(Phone: 415/604-9000)
Nancy Lovato
Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif.
(Phone: 805/258-3448)
RELEASE: 90-149
NEW AMES RESEARCH CENTER DEPUTY DIRECTOR TO HEAD AMES-DRYDEN
Arnold D. Aldrich, NASA Associate Administrator for
Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology, today announced an
organizational change at NASA's Ames Research Center, Mountain
View, Calif., designed to reinforce and strengthen national
flight research capabilities at the Ames-Dryden Flight Research
Facility (DFRF), Edwards, Calif. A new Ames Deputy Center
Director position will be located at Dryden and will serve as the
Director of the Dryden facility. All administrative and
operational organizational elements of Dryden will report to this
individual.
In announcing the change, Aldrich said "This updated
management structure at Ames will take advantage of Ames'
institutional capability to conduct research along a full
continuum, ranging from computation through validation flight
test. It simultaneously will provide enhanced recognition for
the unique capabilities of Dryden for conceiving and executing
national flight-test programs."
Kenneth J. Szalai has been selected as the Ames Deputy
Director who, under the new Ames' management organization, will
be located at Dryden and will direct Dryden's research and
operations, effective Dec. 3, 1990. The appointment was
announced today by Dr. Dale Compton, Ames Director.
"This appointment recognizes the importance of flight
research to the nation's aeronautics program and underscores
Dryden's importance as a national asset for conducting this
research," said Compton. "Szalai is an internationally
recognized expert on flight control and flight systems and has
extensive experience with flight research. He is particularly
well qualified to take this leadership position."
Martin A. Knutson, Director of the Flight Operations and
Research Directorate, will return to the Ames Mountain View site
to direct flight operations there. "Knutson has done an
excellent job at Dryden and the additional experience he has
gained will add to the already close coordination between the two
sites," Compton said.
Szalai, 48, previously served as Chief of the Research
Engineering Division at Dryden. He joined NASA in 1964 and held
various research and systems engineering positions of increasing
responsibility before moving into management as a branch chief.
He also was principal investigator on the first digital fly-by-
wire aircraft.
Szalai has authored over 25 technical papers and reports.
He is a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics. Szalai has received numerous awards including the
NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership
Medal and the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive.
Szalai received a bachelor's degree in electrical
engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1964 and a
master's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of
Southern California in 1970.
He and his wife reside in Lancaster, Calif., with their
three children.