Career Background:
Mr. Watkins is a highly motivated engineer with over 10 years of experience and has aspirations to contribute to company growth and development. Well-rounded engineering and management experience in high-tech fields of research and development, flight-test engineering and avionics certification analyses. Most recent work concentration is devoted to Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA). Entrepreneurial spirit. Experienced at working under pressure with demanding financial and time requirements. Over 3 years of program management experience with responsibilities focused on meeting program requirements and managing customer expectations.

As a program manager he has utilized standard management techniques to ensure that the program requirements are met. He has utilized earned value accounting (EVA) principles, probability and impact risk assessment techniques, standard design reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR), and has developed custom program management tools including embedded costing controls for Microsoft Project, electronic timesheet software with advanced reporting, property management database and inventory system, as well as custom EVA tools.

As a systems engineer he has architected systems, engaged in systems integration within a systems-of-systems architecture, developed innovative civil aircraft certification strategies, invented new opticalmechanical remote sensing systems and completed flight test demonstrations. As a systems architect and certification focal, Mr. Watkins has helped to innovate the Boeing 787 Common Core System (CCS) avionics computing platform. As a Flight Test Director, Mr. Watkins has successfully completed a challenging flight test program that pushed the limits of the aircraft test bed and crew. While he served as the MOADS program manager, Mr. Watkins dedicated his time to an aircraft avionics research and development project in order to develop a new air data system technology, namely an optical air data system for both military and commercial aircraft. Currently he has devoted his attention to the field of Integrated Modular Avionics and is working to contribute to the development of a new computing platform which will host the avionics aboard the new Boeing 787 Commercial Airliner (aka "Dreamliner").

Recent Programs

• Common Core System (CCS) computing platform [Integrated Modular Avionics]
  (Built for the Boeing 787 Commerical Airliner: "Dreamliner")
• Molecular Optical Air Data System (MOADS) Airborne LIDAR
• Joint Optical Air Data System (JOADS) Airborne LIDAR
• Molecular and Aerosol Detector for Clear Air Turbulence (MADCAT)
• Reusable Launch Vehicle Air Data System (RLVADS)
• GroundWinds atmospheric direct detection LIDAR
• Robotics: Automated Wafer Cartridge System (AWCS). Technology demonstration for space-grown thin film semiconductor material in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• Alternative Energy: Advanced Metal To Energy Conversion (AMTEC)
• Dimango: radio transmitter radiation pattern optimization for mass-produced household remote-controlled power switches
  

Publications:

• "Transitioning from Federated Avionics Architectures to Integrated Modular Avionics", Christopher B. Watkins, Randy Walter, 26th AIAA Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), Dallas, Texas, October 2007.
  
  
• "Digital Avionics Handbook, Second Edition", chapter entitled "Genesis Platform", Chris Watkins, Randy Walter, Cary Spitzer (editor), Boca Raton, Florida, December 2006. [Link to book on Amazon]  [Link to book on CRC Press]
  
  
• "Integrated Modular Avionics: Managing the Allocation of Shared Intersystem Resources", Christopher B. Watkins, 25th AIAA Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), Portland, Oregon, October 2006.
  
  
• "Modular Verification: Testing a Subset of Integrated Modular Avionics in Isolation", Christopher B. Watkins, 25th Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC), Portland, Oregon, October 2006.
  
  
• "Molecular Optical Air Data System (MOADS) Prototype II", Christopher B. Watkins, Charles J. Richey, Peter Tchoryk, Jr., Greg A. Ritter, Michael Dehring, Paul B. Hays, Carl A. Nardell, Russell Urzi, International Optical Society (SPIE) Defense and Security Symposium, Orlando, Florida, April 2004.
  
  
• "Molecular Optical Air Data System (MOADS) Flight Test", Christopher B. Watkins, Charles J. Richey, Peter Tchoryk, Jr., Greg A. Ritter, Paul B. Hays, Carl A. Nardell, Theodore C. Willis, Russell Urzi, International Optical Society (SPIE) AeroSense Conference, Orlando, Florida, April 2003.
  
  
• "Molecular Optical Air Data System (MOADS)", Peter Tchoryk, Jr., Christopher B Watkins, Scott Lindemann, Paul B. Hays, Carl A. Nardell. International Optical Society (SPIE) AeroSense Conference, Orlando, Florida, April 2001.

Relevant Certifications and Professional Affiliations::

• American Institue of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), 2005-present
• Publications Chair of AIAA Digital Avionics Technical Committee, 2007-present
• International society for optical engineering (SPIE) member, 2001-2005
• Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) member, 2002-present
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Licensed Private Pilot
• Licensed Amateur Radio Operator (Technician + Class)
• Professional Engineer Certification Part 1 (Fundamentals of Engineering)

Employment:

• General Electric (GE) Aviation, Grand Rapids, MI
  GE Aquired Smiths Aerospace in 2007
  Engineering Architect of Technology and Business Development, 2007-present
  
  
• Smiths Aerospace (Smiths Group PLC), Grand Rapids, MI
  Boeing 787 CCS Systems Certification Focal, 2006-2007
  Boeing 787 CCS Architecture and Technologies Engineer, 2005-2006
  Systems Engineer, 2004-2007
  
  
• Michigan Aerospace Corporation, Ann Arbor, MI
  Program Manager, Research Engineer, 1997 - 2004
  Founding Employee. Member of original team.
  
  
• Ann Arbor Aviation Center, Ann Arbor, MI
  Software Engineering Consultant, 2002 - Present
  
  
• AutoBULLET Automotive News Publication, Dallas, TX
  Technical Director, 2002-2003
  
  
• Advanced Modular Power Systems (AMPS), Ann Arbor, MI
  Engineering Tech, 1996-1998
  
  
• Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM), Ann Arbor, MI
  Engineering Tech, 1996-1997
  
  
• Dimango Products, Brighton, MI
  Electrical Technician, 1994-1995

Education:
Kettering University, Flint, Michigan 1999
(Formerly named GMI Engineering and Management Institute)
B.S. (Electrical Engineering)

Co-curricular activities:

• Small business owner & manager (Watkins Imaging)
• Amateur Radio operator (Technician Plus Class)
• Photography