The François-Xavier Bagnoud Vertical Flight Award, created in 1992 and first known as the VFS Director’s Award, is given to an individual Society member who is 35 years old or younger for their career-to-date outstanding contributions to vertical flight technology. The Award honors the memory of a young helicopter engineer, Swiss citizen, author and rescue pilot who founded the VFS Student Chapter at the University of Michigan. At 20 years of age, he published a treatise on helicopter aerodynamics. Subsequently, he developed instrument flight rules (IFR) procedures for rotorcraft in Europe, and as a commercial pilot, he performed more than 300 helicopter rescue missions.
Read more about François-Xavier Bagnoud at Vertipedia.
2024
- William Staruk
- Engineer
- Joby Aviation
Recognized for significant contributions in advancing three-dimensional modeling and wind-tunnel testing of rotors and propellers.
William Staruk assisted the NASA Joint Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in rotor modeling for the Mars Helicopter Ingenuity, transitioned CFD – computational structural dynamics (CSD) technology to the US Department of Defense (DoD) CREAT-AV program and contributed to the design and development of eVTOL propellers for Aurora and Joby.
2023
- Natasha Schatzman
- NASA Ames Research Center
For outstanding vertical lift research (internationally recognized in rotorcraft acoustics and full-scale wind tunnel acoustics testing), for extensive contributions to the VFS technical community and local VFS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, and for outstanding mentorship in the rotorcraft field.
2022
- Patrick Darmstadt
- Mechanical Design Engineer
- The Boeing Company
Darmstadt has made significant contributions on vertical lift technology, especially towards propulsion systems and drivetrains, and safe electric propulsion.
2021
- Dr. Michael Jones
- DLR - German Aerospace Center
This year's winner is Dr. Michael Jones in the Rotorcraft Department of the Institute of Flight Systems at the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) — The German Aerospace Center, for his innovative research in the fields of modeling and simulation, handling qualities and simulation fidelity.
2020
- Patrick O. Bowles
- Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company
This year’s winner is Patrick O. Bowles of Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, for his numerous contributions to vertical flight while at the University of Notre Dame, United Technologies Research Center (UTRC), and Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company.
Most recently, Bowles was one of the leads in the extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) effort that solving the exhaust gas reingestion (EGR) issue for the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion.
2019
- Edward W. Brouwers
- The Boeing Company
Brouwers has led Boeing’s effort to develop integrated flight technology tools to enable multi-disciplinary development for both passive and active rotors, and is a recognized expert in rotorcraft icing.
Brouwers (middle in the photo) is leading advanced rotor research activities and has developed the research roadmap and portfolio, which covers blades, hubs, configurations and advanced manufacturing concepts. He is a Boeing Subject Matter Expert for icing and has provided inputs to numerous programs, customers and working groups, both inside and outside the company, and was a key participant in a recent icing wind tunnel test. Brouwers has built integrated teams covering many disciplines to achieve complex goals and has identified innovative ways to leverage emerging technologies to accomplish cost reductions with comparable or increased performance.
2018
- Dr. Eric Greenwood
- NASA Langley Research Center
For his exceptional contributions to the field of helicopter noise.
His development of the Fundamental Rotorcraft Acoustic Modeling from Experiments (FRAME) code has revolutionized the accuracy of empirical noise predictions, enabling real-time acoustic predictions for vehicles in free flight.
2017
- Carl Russell
- Research Aerospace Engineer
- NASA Ames Research Center
For his unique rotorcraft experimentation, and innovative applications of design and analysis modeling tools to environmentally‑friendly, electric VTOL and unmanned rotorcraft.
2016
- Dr. Moble Benedict
- Texas A&M University
For his pioneering work in micro air vehicle technology - namely aeromechanics design, autonomous controls and micro-sensors/actuators - and his extensively published research
2015
- Andrea Chavez
- Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
For building a strong technical background in helicopter propulsion systems, and is a powerful advocate for engineering through pre-college outreach efforts
2014
- Eric Sinusas
- Drive Systems Engineer
- Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
For his significant contributions to the design of gearboxes and drive systems, development of a laser hardening method to improve wear characteristics of a rotorcraft drive spline, and to the manufacturing, lubrication, protection and repair of rotorcraft drive systems
2013
- Dr. Daniel Patt
- Program Manager
- US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
For his significant contributions in rotorcraft acoustics, vibration reduction, aerodynamics, structural dynamics, propulsion, rotorcraft design and integration, which have advanced the state of the art of vertical flight
2012
- Dr. Jose Palacios
- Research Associate
- Pennsylvania State University
For his research in rotorcraft icing, smart structures and experimental mechanics
2011
- Joseph G. Irwin
- Senior Manager, Flying Qualities
- The Boeing Company
For career accomplishments that include major contributions to the advancement of control law technology for vertical take off and landing aircraft.
2010
- Jeffrey D. Sinsay
- Aerospace Engineer
- US Army AMRDEC
For demonstrating exceptional
technical competence and ability to formulate, analyze, and critique numerous proposed Department of
Defense and NASA vertical lift aircraft designs.
His technical skills and ability have enabled him to achieve a leadership role in national DoD initiatives for future vertical lift.
2009
- Andrew Elliot Augenstein
- Design and Analysis Engineer 3, Boeing Rotorcraft Division
- The Boeing Company
Mr. Augenstein, an avionics integration engineer, has made significant contributions to the development and implementation of a new Open Systems Architecture (OSA) for the avionics system on the Block III AH-64D Apache helicopter.
As part of this effort, he led the development of a new subsystem called Mission System Management, responsible for managing the control and health monitoring of the avionics system and the interface with all other systems.
2008
- Ryan Ehinger
- Senior Engineer
- Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
The Society's François-Xavier Bagnoud Award was given to Ryan Ehinger, Senior Engineer, Bell Helicopter Textron. Mr. Ehinger, currently the Principal Area Lead for drive system research programs at Bell, has, in a few short years, developed a comprehensive technology development plan which includes a technology path forward for the V-22, H1, and Bell's Joint Heavy Lift program.
2007
- William J. Eadie
- Advanced Design Engineer
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
2006
- Dr. Anubhav Datta
- Assistant Research Scientist
- University of Maryland
2005
- Dr. Vineet Sahasrabudhe
- Principle Engineer
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
For his contributions in rotor design, the reduction of degradation of handling qualities in reduced visual environments and the subsequent major improvements
to control laws.
2004
- Dr. Nikhil A. Koratkar
- Assistant Professor
- Rennsselaer Polytechnic Institute
2003
- Chad Sparks
- Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
On his efforts to assess the survivability of the Marine Corps AH-1 Attack and the UH-1 Utility Helicopters.
2002
- Dr. Catherine Ferrie
- Research Project Engineer
- Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
For her acumen in probabilistic methods, working in cutting edge probabilistic concepts and composite fracture mechanics.
2001
- Christopher D. Sargent
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
For his analytic skills in utilizing one-, two-, and three- dimensional RCS modeling tools to support definition of the forward fuselage in the important US Army program.
2000
- William P. Geyer, Jr.
- Lead Test Engineer
- Naval Air Systems Command
For all V-22 Osprey shipboard suitability testing for his impressive knowledge of shipboard suitability issues regarding V-22 safety of flight.
1999
- Andreas P.F. Bernhard
1998
- Dr. Farhan Gandhi
- Assistant Professor of Engineering
- Penn State University
For his excellence in classroom teaching, research and professional service.
1997
- Bryan S. Cotton
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
For his development of the Sikorsky Aircraft Cypher Unmanned Air Vehicle.
1996
- Dr. Michael S. Torok
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
For his development of new analytical modeling capabilities to predict stability margins for the RAH-66 Comanche.
1995
- Jeffrey C. Dudley
- Avionics System Engineer
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
AHS Director's Award, now Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Award, presented to Jeffrey Dudley, an avionics systems engineer with Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. for his contributions on the MH-60K special operations aircraft.
1994
- Dr. Ed Smith
- Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering
- Penn State University
1993
- Adam Sawicki
Cached December 7, 2024 2:30:34 PM CST