In Profile: James Raisbeck
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James Raisbeck
Founder & CEO
Raisbeck Engineering Inc.
Raisbeck began his career in the aviation industry when he joined the Air Force in 1954. He attended Purdue University to pursue aeronautical engineering and mathematics, later joining Boeing as a research aerodynamicist before founding Raisbeck Engineering, where he is now chairman and CEO. He has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the aviation industry.
If you could mandate a “new rule” within the airline industry, what would it be?
Somehow we need to address the continuing and future chronic shortage of pilots. Boeing delivers 42 new 737s a month, growing to 52 in a few years; Airbus the same, and those are just their single-aisle versions. Yet we demand proficiency and experience when we get on an airplane, and turn our very lives over to these pilots. I expect each airline will soon adopt an in-house pilot training program, taking applicants from the newly licensed private-pilot lot and rigorously training them, in exchange for some form of servitude.
What emerging technologies do you think have the most potential to improve the airline passenger experience?
Emerging Systems Technologies carry with them the parallel responsibility of Systems reliability. Most of us get visibly frustrated when our flights are delayed because one system or another won’t check out after we passengers are all onboard and waiting for the boarding door to close. The downstream effect this has on making connecting flights puts a certain edge to our worries. Our engineers would do well to pay attention to reliability as we go forward.
Second is the noise certain systems make when activated (e.g., when the gear goes down, the flaps are activated, etc.). Those who do not know these things think a wing has just fallen off.
What past technologies do you think most significantly improved the airline passenger experience?
Without question, the jet engine and the swept wing. They came along about the same time, and both were required to fly high, fly fast and fly quietly (at least inside the cabin). I’m 78 and can still remember when the best place in a Connie or DC-7 was in the back, and it still was noisy. Gone are the engine run-up times before taking the active runway, the labored takeoff runs, silently waiting for the sound of an engine failure, and the laborious climbs to 24,000 feet.
Something that never ceases to amaze you in your industry?
To me, the most consistent marvel is the astonishing number of successful takeoffs and landings per minute, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
It’s truly a statistical miracle that we don’t have more serious incidents, especially when considering the mix of older technology passenger aircraft in service; speaks well for the pilots!
Biggest challenge you’ve ever overcome at work?
I’ve had several. Some have been technical, some managerial, some financial. The worst one occurred 35 years ago, and it’s still too painful to talk about.
Can you describe any situations where you had to stand up for an idea that others told you would be impossible to execute?
These “opportunities” surface with some degree of regularity, and have all my life. It started in 1954 when I went to Purdue to learn engineering, and my classmates simply couldn’t imagine how the “class clown” was going to ever accomplish this. In the beginning of Raisbeck Engineering, we founded this company on $500 of paid-in capital; that’s all the cash investment ever made. All the rest of the money has come from satisfied customers who buy our airplane products and systems. It continues, even to this day.
The scariest situation you’ve ever been in?
In 1980, on final approach to Hartford in a DC-9, the pilots elected to brave an approach and landing through a very active front. We were mercilessly tossed about, pulling Gs and rolling up to 60 degrees or more. It was so bad we couldn’t taxi for 20 minutes after clearing the active runway… but, we lived through it.
What’s the achievement you’re most proud of?
Probably the introduction of the first Supercritical Wing in business/commercial service, on the Sabreliner 65. We contracted with North American Rockwell to design, develop, flight-test, certify and manufacture these wings for the Sabreliner production line in El Segundo, California, and delivered all 75 shipsets to them successfully. We also did several retrofits to the existing fleet of Sabreliner 60 and 75 models.
What’s the best seat on the plane?
Primarily because of the quietness, the farther forward the better (except the front row, where legroom is at a premium, even if it is in first class).
What’s the one item you can’t travel without?
Reading material.
One thing you wished people cared more about?
Each other.
Luckiest moment of your life?
Great choice of parents.
Read our feature on the Raisbeck Aviation High School, “Aspirational Aeronautics,” in The Education Issue.