Wes Ryan is an NG Fellow 1 in the AS Airworthiness Office. He has nearly 40 years of aviation experience in government and industry and is responsible for developing and implementing airworthiness policy and strategy for automation and the practical application of AI/ML. Wes plays a key role in positioning NGAS as a thought leader for airworthiness of automation and AI into the future. His continued professional passion has been to use automation to improve the utility, safety, operational capability, and overall human/machine teaming of airborne systems, while applying the right level of rigor to the airworthiness process for the intended operational design domain of the product.

Prior to joining Northrop Grumman, Wes served 20+ years of government service as an engineer and manager for NASA and the FAA. He worked for NASA’s Aeronautics Research Institute supporting airspace modernization and automation integration strategies and was Chair of the Airworthiness & Flight Safety Review Board for NASA Ames. For the FAA, Wes spent 18 years working R&D and certification for remotely piloted aircraft and safety-enhancing technology for General Aviation. He led emerging technology initiatives for the FAA in avionics, light sport, electric propulsion, and unmanned aircraft, and was instrumental in bringing glass displays, GPS moving maps, and envelope protection autopilot technology into light GA aircraft. His early work was with NASA Armstrong supporting several X-plane programs in flight controls, flight dynamics, agility, and systems integration. Wes brings broad experience in airworthiness, flight test, system safety, flight controls, human factors, simulation for new product development, policy making, airworthiness standards, and rulemaking to NGAS.

He holds both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Kansas. He is a Fellow in the Royal Aeronautical Society and an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.