Jens Hennig, Participant

Jens Hennig is Vice President, Operations, Safety & Security at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). He is responsible for GAMA’s activities for advancing safety, security, and operations. He is the association’s primary staff person on air traffic control modernization and issues impacting aircraft flight operations. Jens’ engagement in policy and rulemaking committees during the past two decades covers a wide range of  safety and security policy topics including ADS-B rule development and implementation, standards for navigation and communications, and pilot qualifications. He chaired FAA’s airman training and testing standards rulemaking committee which developed today’s framework for U.S. pilot training and also managed the agency’s review of the Part 135/125 air carrier regulations. He is actively engaged in the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee which is an essential body for advancing GA safety based on data-driven, systematic processes, and serves as co-chair of its Safety Analysis Team. Jens has served in the aircraft manufacturer seat on the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) and serves as its general aviation subcommittee chair. He also served as co-chair of FAA’s Aircraft System Information Security / Protection working group on cybersecurity. Mr. Hennig provides technical analysis about security, funding,  and air traffic control modernization to GAMA’s government affairs team. He has testified about NextGen and homeland security before the U.S. Congress. He has been a member of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) Flight Standards subcommittee since its formation in 2005, focusing on the agency’s extension of scope and the establishment of a safety agreement between the European Union and the United States. He served as chair of EASA’s Operational Suitability Data rulemaking group for type design changes and was a member of the committee that developed the regulatory amendment for operation of single engine turbine airplanes in commercial service as well as rulemaking tasks focused on surveillance and data link services. Previously Jens served as the GA manufacturing industry’s representative on the Joint Aviation Authorities Operations Sectorial Team. Hennig is actively involved with advancing data collection about the general aviation industry and frequently presents overviews of the state of general aviation, including the quarterly industry aircraft shipment report and about the manufacturing industry’s impact on the economy and a positive trade balance. Jens has served on the RTCA Advisory Board since 2019 and the RTCA Program Management Committee since 2013. He joined the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) board in 2022 for a three year term. Having joined GAMA in 2003 as Manager of Operations after a stint as manager of flight operations for contract training at Embry Riddle, Jens has advanced to Vice President, Operations, Safety & Security. Originally from Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, he holds a Bachelor of Science with honors in Aerospace Engineering from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Business Administration in Aviation. Jens serves as the staff contact for GAMA’s Flight Operations Policy Committee and the Security Issues Committee.https://commons.erau.edu/avcysecworkshop-bios-2025/1021/thumbnail.jp

Dr. Tim Holt, Participant

Dr. Holt is a Tenured Professor in the College of Aviation, with Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in aeronautics, safety, unmanned systems, and airport management for the Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics program and the Master’s in Safety Science program. Before assuming his current role, he served a twenty-two-year career in the United States Navy, retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. A Naval Aircrewman while on active duty, he operated on both fixed wing (P-3 Orion) and rotary wing (MH-60S KnightHawk) aircraft logging over 2,500 hours as both a Flight Instructor and Evaluator. He served as Operations, Training, and Safety Chief and flew as an Electronics Warfare Operator for Patrol Squadron 67, Patrol Squadron 65, and Patrol Squadron 64. He was also Operations and Safety Chief on the staff of the Commander Patrol Wing, and served as Training Officer, Rescue Crew Chief, and NATOPS Flight Evaluator on the Staff of Commander Helicopter Wing. Dr. Holt’s last assignment was as the Director of the Reserve Helicopter Training School in San Diego, CA where he taught helicopter operations, search and rescue, SEAL Team insertion/extraction tactics, and was the MH-60S Program Manager. He has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Navy Commendation Medal and the War on Terrorism Service Medal. Dr. Holt developed and instructed courses pertaining to Crew Resource Management, Aircraft Accident Investigation, The Safety Management System and Introduction to Annex 14 Regulations for Airports Council International (ACI) in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards to airport safety managers and staff located throughout the world. He assisted in the development and implementation of the Safety Management System for Teterboro Airport and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and has authored Aviation Security Programs, Emergency Response Procedures Guides, Aviation Internal Self-Evaluation Checklists, and Hurricane Evacuation Plans for numerous organizations. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Certified Member of both the American Association of Airport Executives and Airports Council International, and an Associate Member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators. He is also a State of Arizona licensed teacher with endorsements in secondary English, History, and Career and Technical Education.https://commons.erau.edu/avcysecworkshop-bios-2025/1022/thumbnail.jp

1967 5BFTS First Reunion Dinner. October 14.

The First Reunion Dinner for RAF pilots who had trained at 5BFTS during WW2 was held on October 14, 1967, at the Royal Aero Club, London. This image is annotated “Centre looking left”.https://commons.erau.edu/bfts-1967-dinner-images/1017/thumbnail.jp

1967 5BFTS First Reunion Dinner. Menu October 14

Menu for the First Reunion Dinner for RAF pilots who had trained at 5BFTS during WW2 held on October 14, 1967, at the Royal Aero Club, London

Matt Mayes, Participant

Matt enjoys bridging the realms of aviation and technology. Currently an airline pilot, he brings expertise from avionics engineering and EFB development, alongside valuable experience in both government and industry. Beyond his cockpit duties, Matt serves as Deputy Director for the Aerospace Village, where he champions collaboration between the aerospace industry and cybersecurity researchers. Now in its 6th year, the Aerospace Village is one of the most popular areas at the yearly DEF CON hacker conference.https://commons.erau.edu/avcysecworkshop-bios-2025/1031/thumbnail.jp

Stephen Thomas, Participant

Stephen Thomas has over 12 years of experience in the cybersecurity industry in multiple roles including offensive security, incident response and malware analysis. He is currently the Red Team service lead on the Federal Reserve’s National Incident Response Team where he leads Covert Operations and the Adversary Emulation’s Security Research and Development service. Stephen is an Embry‑Riddle graduate with a degree in Computer Science and also holds a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of Maryland. He is active in the security community and enjoys performing research, writing open-source security tools, creating capture the flag competitions, and mentoring new cybersecurity practitioners.https://commons.erau.edu/avcysecworkshop-bios-2025/1049/thumbnail.jp

Poster Session

Research Posters: Automating Carry-on Baggage Control: Operational and Financial Analysis of a BrazilianCase Tulio Souza, Giuliano Avila, Anderson Vicente, Ricardo Barbosa, Isabela Zatti, Robin Roberts, and Maria Petrescu Bridging the Gap: An Exploration of Pilot-Automation Interaction from Initial Training to Airline Operations in Gen Z Pilots Mary Bender, Parneet Makkar, Allysa Hayden, Vanesa Miksa, and Elizabeth Blickensderfer Data-Driven Wind Thresholds for Flight Training: An ADS-B and Surface Weather Analysis Taeyun Yoo and João Souza Dias Garcia Development of an Aircraft-Mounted Fused Sensor System for Real-Time Detection and Classification of Weather Phenomena Sanjana Singh and Stephen Medeiros Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Scheduling Practices at Part 141 Flight Schools to Reduce Flight Instructor Fatigue Favour Obarewon Is Artificial Intelligence Smarter than a Fifth Grader? A Review of Current AI Validation Methods and Their Suggested Use in Aviation Eva Lobaton, Desirae Walton, Zoe Spanos, Grace Gonzalez, Elizabeth R. Merwin, Andrew Schneider, Joseph R. Keebler, and Elizabeth H. Lazzara Flying High and Feeling Faint: An Exploration into Handling In-Flight Medical Emergencies Ujaia J. Cunningham, Grace M. Gonzalez, and Elizabeth H. Lazzara Performance, Acoustics, and Safety Risks of UAM Rotors in Vertiport Atmospheric Conditions Stanley Ossyra and Vadim Voropayev State Capacity and Global Aviation Safety: A Study of Small Island Developing States and ICAO Compliance Rean Clinton Understanding the Lifestyle Challenges and Well-Being of Professional Pilots Tiago Dikerts De Tella and Flavio A. C. Mendonc

Lawrence R. Marsala, Participant

Lawrence Marsala is a seasoned expert with over 20 years of experience in embedded hardware, firmware, and cybersecurity design. He currently serves as a Senior Principal Engineer in Product Cybersecurity Systems at BAE Systems Controls & Avionic Solutions (CAS). His specialty is in applying cryptographic solutions and adversarial analysis at the nation-state level to secure aviation, mission, engine (FADEC), and flight control systems. Lawrence holds an active Secret Security Clearance and has a strong background in cybersecurity Threat & risk analysis, system architecture, key management, and PKI strategies for commercial and military aviation products. Lawrence has contributed to groundbreaking innovations throughout his career, including patent-pending ephemeral key management systems and novel cryptographic methodologies. His expertise spans leading-edge technologies such as Cybersecurity Risk analysis (DO-356A and CSEIG), model-based system engineering (MBSE), and designing cyber-resilient architectures to enhance mission assurance/survivability. An award-winning cybersecurity architect, Lawrence\u27s dedication to advancing aviation cybersecurity has made him a trusted leader in the field. With a passion for fostering cyber resilience and a proven track record of success, he continues to drive secure solutions for some of the industry\u27s most challenging problems.https://commons.erau.edu/avcysecworkshop-bios-2025/1029/thumbnail.jp

Don Christie, Participant

Don Christie is a Product Security Lead at Honeywell Aerospace, currently responsible for ensuring Aero Cyber Security Architectures are compliant with required Industry Standards and meet all internal Honeywell Cyber Security objectives.  Don has held multiple leadership and technical positions in the CNS, SATCOM and Aerospace businesses within Honeywell. He has been involved in multiple Industry committees, primarily regarding Secure Architectures for SATCOM systems.  Other prior experience includes various positions at EMS Satcom, Hewlett-Packard (Germany) and Nortel (Canada).https://commons.erau.edu/avcysecworkshop-bios-2025/1010/thumbnail.jp