VOLUME 25
March 2001
NUMBER 3
Join Meeting with ASME
Reverse Engineering Leonardo da Vinci
Editor’s Note: Folks, this is the most intense schedule
that I’ve ever seen an AIAA Section put forth. We
are having three dinner meetings over a span of five
weeks. This was not really done to make life difficult,
it is just the way things worked out for scheduling the
speakers. The March 8 meeting will be held in
conjunction with the local ASME chapter’s honors
and awards banquet. We had planned this for some
time, and there has been a change in the speaker.
The speaker will be John M. Razukas, a professor
and former chairman of the Department of
Electromechanical Engineering at New York City
Technical College. His multi-media presentation
utilizes a new CD-ROM, which allows viewers to
"reverse engineer" Leonardo da Vinci's “flying
machine.” In addition, audience members will
observe demonstrations of working models of
ornithopters (machines that fly by the flapping of
wings).
Although the Renaissance brings to mind the
extraordinary cultural movement which began in
Italy in the late 14th century and culminated in a vast
evolution in the arts of painting, sculpture,
architecture and literature, the late 14th and 15th
centuries were also the time of a renaissance in
engineering. Led by the creative genius of Leonardo
da Vinci, this little understood period in the history of
engineering marked a transition from the analog
problem solving techniques of the Middle Ages to a
new way of thinking, one based on the method of
Science and Technology.
John M. Razukas teaches a unique engineering
design course employing reverse engineering, which
he helped develop under a grant involving the
National Science foundation. Professor Razukas has
created several exhibitions, the most recent one
entitled "Dawn of the Age of Science and
Technology, Leonardo da Vinci-Renaissance
Engineer." The exhibit, done in partnership with the
Keyspan Energy Company at the Metrotech
Showcase in New York, was the subject of a photo
story in the New York Daily News May 17, 1999 and
received generous prime time television coverage by
New York One on June 14 and 15, 1999.
Please note that the times are one hour earlier than
customary because we are following ASME’s
schedule. Thanks to Terri Taylor for making the
arrangements and allowing AIAA to participate in
this event. Please note we’d like to have reservations
in by noon, Monday, March 5 (assuming we can get
this newsletter out that quickly).
March Dinner Meeting
Date:
Thur., March 8, 2001
Time:
5:00 pm Social
6:00 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Speaker
Location:
Wyndham Gardens Hotel
44th St. north of Van Buren, Phoenix
Menu:
Beef, Chicken or Pasta
Prices:
Members:
Guest of Members:
Students:
Non-Members
$20
$20
$10
$25
Reservations with meal preference to your facility rep
or Mike Mackowski by noon, Mon., March 5:
Work: 480-892-8200,
Home: 480-926-4765
mackowski@specastro.com
Phoenix Section AIAA Newsletter March 2001
Page 1
Nominations
It’s time to consider getting more involved in your
Section! We got a lot of good ideas in the recent
member survey, but now we need some help to
implement them.
We will be taking nominations for officers for the
2001-2002 year beginning at the March meeting.
Please consider nomination yourself or some one that
you think would be willing to spend a few hours per
month on AIAA activities. Think about getting
involved. It really is a lot of fun.
Upcoming Section Events
Date:
Event:
April 5 - 7, 2001
AIAA Student Conference at ASU
Dinner Meeting Apr. 5
Dr. Wesley Harris
Speaker:
Date:
Event:
Sat., May 5, 2001
Prescott trip, including Embry Riddle
tour and picnic
Welcome New Members
The Phoenix Section would like to welcome these
new members and folks who have transferred in from
other sections during February. We’d love to see you
at an upcoming dinner meeting.
Members
Michael J. Bender
Richard E. Cotter
Tim Warrick
Terry A. Kalser
Orbital Sciences
Applied Technical Assoc.
Warrick & Assoc., Inc
Students:
Phillip W. Marquardt
Michael Tilly
Peter J. Waydo
NAU
ASU
This part year, Ron Roden has been serving in that
role, as well as carrying on the Membership Chair
activities he had been doing previously. Ron has the
following comments about the survey results.
To try and meet the needs of our members in regards
to finding a location that best serves our members for
monthly meetings is difficult. Our membership is
located from Mesa to Sun City and as far away as
Prescott, Flagstaff and Golden Valley.
Some of the decisions that affect where we hold our
meetings or events are: membership preference, cost
of the facility and meals, the type of event,
accessibility and availability. Many meetings in past
years have been held around the airport, as this
location has been economically friendly with good
availability. The airport area is also very easy to
commute to in the evening as the majority of the
traffic is going the opposite direction for members
coming from the north or south. It is our intention in
the upcoming year to hold at least one meeting in the
Southeast and Northwest valley, with special events
(tours, etc) held wherever they occur and the
remainder of the monthly meetings around the airport
area (depending on cost and availability). We would
like to hear your suggestions for a meeting location
that meets our Section's needs or if your company
would be willing to host a monthly meeting.
March Meeting
At the March meeting, we were privileged to have as
our guest Skylab astronaut (now a local business
leader) Edward Gibson. Some photos from the dinner
event are shown below and on page 4.
Member Survey Comments
In last month’s newsletter, we presented some results
of the local survey we did, highlighting feedback on
topics including the meeting location. As you may be
aware, the vice-chair is responsible for making the
monthly dinner, restaurant, and speaker
arrangements.
Embry Riddle students flank Edward Gibson (center).
Phoenix Section AIAA Newsletter March 2001
Page 2
Phoenix Section Survey Results (Part 2)
Last month, we ran some initial results from a survey taken of the Phoenix Section performed by our membership
chair, Ron Roden. They were asked about their preferences for the kinds of activities and services that the Section
should be offering. This month we’ll look at comments on communications and national activities. Note that the
complete results are posted on the Section’s web site (www.pr.erau.edu/~aiaa-az/aiaa.html).
Communications:
8. What is your preference in the way your Phoenix Section of AIAA communicates with you:
E-mail: 41
Mail: 27
FAX/Telephone: 2
Either: 11
1. Section News Letter:
2. Your rating: Excellent: 14 Good: 56
Fair: 5
Poor: 0
N/A 1 .
Comments:
 More articles on local industry
 Look at old (20 years ago) newsletter when won cash award from AIAA national
 Job listings; Add more job openings
 Sometimes arrives late
 Include at least one history article with each news letter
 Personal Bio on Senior members
 Pictures, profile a member or a company
 National activities summary
10. As an AIAA member would you like to have Free web access to Aero-Space Abstracts: Yes: 56 No: 32 No
Pref: 1
AIAA Phoenix Section and National Events:
11. What other services or activities would you like your Phoenix Section of AIAA and/or the National AIAA
organization to provide:
 Bring back attitude adjustment trips (spring/summer)
 Keep members abreast of the Challenger Learning Center programs
 AIAA discounts at local stores/restaurants
 Special speakers for investment/retirement matters
 Tours of local facilities
 Monthly meetings fine
 Technical seminars, mini-symposium – low cost
 National AIAA should reconstitute its system safety technical committee
 AIAA national & local coordination of college intern program
 Also paper free or discount papers to renew
 All new AIAA paper on line for free download, perhaps industry could digitizing older stuff
 Monthly meetings OK, bring in local corp execs
 Work to improve the “clout” in Technical experts – like the AMA for the doctors
 Open house at different companies, facilities
 Should have an AIAA conference/meeting once every three years
 Past performance very good
 Current services & activities are sufficient
 Jobs; education extension; NASA launching invitations
 An online discussion list
Phoenix Section AIAA Newsletter March 2001
Page 3
Phoenix Section Officers
Chair
Keith Jenkins
(480) 706-8317
keith.jenkins@
computeraccess-world.com
Vice Chair
Ron Roden
(602) 822-4383
ron.v.roden@honeywell.com
Organizational Representatives
Honeywell Engines & Systems
Liz Lieber
602-231-2815
Honeywell
Joe Vecera
602-822-3251
Lockheed Martin
Ken Van Meter
623-925-7239
Spectrum Astro
Mike Mackowski
480-892-8200
Motorola - CGISS (Roosevelt)
Doug Hill
480-441-8118
Boeing Helicopters
Moutaz Helwani
480-891-6330
Computer Access LLC
Keith Jenkins
480-706-8317
Orbital Sciences
Scott Schoneman
480-814-6688
Arizona State University
Valana Wells
480-965-4777
Embry-Riddle University
Ron Madler
520-708-3896
Northern Arizona University
Tom Acker
520-523-8363
Tucson Section
Kevin Kremeyer
520-882-7349
Secretary/Treasurer
Eriko Yamaguchi
(480)693-7348
eriyama@flash.net
Membership
Tyra Rivkin
(480) 592-2408
tyra.rivkin@honeywell.com
March Meeting Photo
Guest speaker Dr. Edward Gibson talks to an ERAU
student.
Phoenix Section AIAA
M. J. Mackowski, Editor
1022 W. Juanita Ave.
Gilbert, AZ 85233
Printed and distributed courtesy of
Lockheed Martin
M&DS-Reconnaissance Systems
March 8th Dinner Meeting:
Phoenix Section AIAA Newsletter March 2001
Page 4
Leonardo da Vinci and Renaissance Engineering
Phoenix Section AIAA Newsletter March 2001
Page 5