Speaker Biographies
Mr. Seán Roberts
Mr. Sean Roberts is the Director and Test Pilot Instructor at the National Test Pilot School, in Mojave, CA. With over 18,000 hours in all types of aircraft ranging from gliders, helicopters to multi-engine jet aircraft, Mr. Roberts is an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) Flight Test Pilot. He also holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, University of London, an Aerospace Doctorate from the Cranfield Institute of Technology, Cranfield, England, and is a Fullbright Research scholar. His flight test experience includes: Engineering test pilot for the first flights and test programs for the US Army high lift wing, XAZ-1 and XV-11A STOL aircraft; Engineering Test pilot for the first flight test program of the US Navy high lift jet powered circulation control STOL research aircraft; and test pilot for numerous FAA STC projects.
(Biography Source: National Test Pilot School)
Mr. Greg Feith
During his tenure with the NTSB, Mr. Feith served in a variety of positions, including Air Safety Investigator (Field) Unit Supervisor, Regional Director, and Senior Air Safety Investigator. He served as the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) of the NTSB “Go-Team,” from 1993 until his departure in 2001, and was either the IIC or U.S. Accredited Representative for the following notable accident investigations: Valujet Douglas DC-9, May 1996, Everglades, Florida; In-flight cargo fire; American Eagle Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) 72, October 1994, Roselawn, IN.; USAir Douglas DC-9, July 1994, Charlotte, NC; Pilot spatial disorientation and windshear; American International Airways Douglas DC-8, August 1993, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; First commercial accident attributed to flight crew fatigue; Emery Worldwide Airlines Douglas DC-8-71, February 2000, Sacramento, California; American Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83, June 1999, Little Rock, Arkansas; Korean Air Boeing 747-300, August 1997, Agana, Guam;
Silkair Airlines Boeing 737-300, December 1997, Palembang, Sumatra; Swissair McDonnell Douglas MD-11, September 1998, Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. Mr. Feith holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
(Biography Credit Aviation Speakers Forum)
Capt. Al Haynes
Capt. Al Haynes was born in Paris, Texas and raised in Dallas. He attended Texas A&M College before joining the Naval Aviation Cadet Training program in 1952. He was released from the service in 1956 after serving as a Marine Aviator. He joined United Airlines that year as a flight engineer and served in that capacity until his promotion to first officer in 1963. He flew the DC-6, DC-7, DC-8, Boeing 727, and DC-10. Al was promoted to captain in 1985 and flew the Boeing 727 and DC-10 up to his retirement in August 1991, accumulating over 27,000 hours of flight time. Al has been a volunteer umpire for Little League Baseball for the past 36 years and a stadium announcer for high school football for the past 30 years.
Mr. Robert Agostino
Mr. Robert Agostino graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York in 1972, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Photographic Arts & Sciences. He is also a graduate of the National Test Pilot School.
Mr. Agostino has been flying jet aircraft for 36 years and has accumulated over 20,000 flight hours. He holds 11 type ratings, ATP, and is helicopter qualified and maintains a current CFI.
Mr. Agostino has set eight world records and was selected for the 2003 ‘Laureate Award’. He was the recipient of the 2007 Aviation Week and Space Technology ‘Laureate Award’ for aviation safety. Additionally, he was the first recipient of the BCA Vision Award.
Mr. Agostino is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) and has sat on the Board of Directors of the National Aeronautics Association (NAA), and the Smithsonian Affiliate Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center.
Mr. Agostino’s management experience encompasses over 29 years of corporate flight operations, including 15 years as Director of Flight Operations for Learjet/Bombardier. While at Learjet, Mr. Agostino was the creator of what is now known as the Bombardier Safety Standdown. He has been an aviation safety advocate and was a member of the Learjet accident investigation team. Currently, he serves as the Aviation Director for Group Holdings Aviation in Fort Worth, Texas, and is actively involved in the Aerion supersonic business jet program.
Mr. John Nance
John Nance is best known to television audiences worldwide as aviation analyst for the ABC Radio and Television Network, and as the Aviation Editor for Good Morning America. He is internationally recognized as an air safety analyst and advocate. John is also the internationally know author of nine major best selling books such as Splash of Colors, Blind Trust, Final Approach, Pandora’s Clock, Phoenix Rising, and his latest release, Medusa’s Child. John presents programs both here and abroad as keynote addresses on such diverse topics as: team creation and leadership, crew management methods, resource management, communications and motivation, and is well known for his involvement in human factors flight safety education. John is a native Texan who grew up in Dallas, holds a Bachelors Degree from SMU and a Juris Doctorate from SMU Law School. He is a licensed attorney. With over 12,000 hours of flight time, he is a decorated Air Force pilot; a veteran of Vietnam, Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm; a Lieutenant Colonel in the USAF Reserve; and a Boeing 737 Captain for a major airline.
(Biography Credit Aviation Speakers Forum)