The SFTE EC Jesualdo Martinez Award In Flight Testing has been created to commemorate our colleague and board member Jesualdo Martines Rodanes, who tragically deceased in the accident of A400M MSN 23, in Seville in May 2015.
This award is devoted to reward special dedication and remarkable accomplishment or inspirational work in the area of Flight Testing.
The award is addressed to people and organizations under the scope of the SFTE European Chapter.
The award is biannual and will, together with a unique trophy, be delivered to the winner in the correspondent European Chapter Symposium.
Proposals of candidates for the award can be submitted to the president of the SFTE EC Board until three months before the corresponding European symposium.
Reminder to propose candidates and the actual due dates will be announced on the SFTE EC Web and through email to all European Chapter members.
Here is the formal declaration of the SFTE EC Jesualdo Martinez Award In Flight Testing
Awards
Mrs. Barbara Wood
JESUALDO MARTINEZ Award, 2023
The board is pleased to accept the nomination for Barbara Wood and grant her this special In Memoriam Jesualdo Martinez Award 2023. Unfortunately we recently received the sad news that she has passed away January 16th of this year.
We dedicate this special In Memoriam JM Award to our colleague and friend Barbara Wood, a fundamental pillar in the development and evolution of the Society of Flight Test Engineers and in our profession in general. She was a highly considered professional, a pioneer in her work and for her time.
She was a force and an inspiration throughout her career and she was one of the few female Flight Test Engineers at a time and place when this was still primarily a men’s world.
Since the late 1980s she has been involved in the Society, making great contributions for the development and improvements of our community. During her involvement, she held various positions in the European Chapter: Secretary (1991 -1995) and again from 2007 until 2009, Vice President from 1995 until 1999 and President from 1999 until 2003. In 2008 she was elected both Fellow of the Society and entered in the main SFTE Board of Directors.
She was also very active in the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) Flight Test Technical Team (FT3), promoting several Agardographs and contributing to the dissemination of knowledge in Flight Testing across the community.
The European Chapter in particular and the Society as a whole, would not be the same without her unwavering support for all these years. Unfortunately, she is no longer with us anymore, but her imprint will remain forever with us and the Society.
Mr. Andrew Nixon
JESUALDO MARTINEZ Award, 2021
The first day of the symposium on September 15, the JM Award ceremony was held for the second time. The award was granted to Mr. Andrew Nixon (1963-2021). Principal FTE of the Flight Test Department at Leonardo Helicopters (Yeovil). A valued representative of the FTE community, internationally respected for his contribution to the field and mentor for many starting FTE within Leonardo.
He would always go the extra mile to improve the operational and technical effectiveness of the Leonardo flight test organization, and his inspirational example warrants significant recognition.
Sadly Andrew past away after his short battle with illness in March of this year. It is with great respect that the European Chapter posthumously award the Jesualdo Martinez Award to Mr. Andrew Nixon. A fitting tribute to a longstanding and sadly missed member of the Flight Testing Community.
Unfortunately the family was not in a position to attend the symposium. The award (a copy of the painting “emty desk” by the Spanish artist Mrs. Aida Mauri Crusat) and motivation will be presented to his family.
Mr. Gerard Desbois
JESUALDO MARTINEZ Award, 2019
Perhaps best known for being a member of the crew of the maiden flight of the Airbus A380 in April 2005, Gerard DESBOIS has just completed a long and illustrious career in flight testing.
After graduating from the French civil aviation university "ENAC" in 1979, Gerard started his career as a test data analyst in Aerospatiale in Toulouse. He was nominated by Henri PERRIER, himself famous as a member of the crew of the first flight of Concorde, to undergo training at EPNER, the French flight test school at Istres. Gerard graduated from there at just 29 years old, the youngest Test Flight Engineer ever to be qualified.
With his Test Flight Engineer license in hand, Gerard went on to be involved in many of Airbus's defining projects, and was a member of the first flight crews for the A319 and A340-600 (which he describes as the most beautiful of the Airbus family) before becoming responsible for the A380.
Since the certification of the A380, Gerard was responsible for the small but committed team of Test Flight Engineers at Airbus, before taking the decision to deservedly retire in 2019.
However, Gerard's commitment and passion for aviation has not been limited to his professional activities. He is a talented author and has published two books and numerous reviews, telling stories of his life in aviation and by doing so reaching out to the next generation of pilots and flight test engineers. He is a proficient pilot and has flown on many types, and can be seen at airshows across France in the summer season flying as a member of the Crazy Piper team, where his enthusiasm and generous spirit infiltrates yet more young people. He is involved in restoring historic aircraft and is the patron of several such projects. He is a member or leader of many small organizations defending aerospace and securing the future for passionate aviators. And last but not least, he is involved in several charitable organizations which use aviation as a way of inspiring disabled children.
