Erik Hess
Chief Designer
Erik has a BSFS in Science, Technology and International Affairs from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service .
He received a commission in the US Navy in 1997 via NROTC and immediately began pilot training, earning his Wings of Gold in 1999. After being selected to fly the F-14 Tomcat, Erik reported to NAS Oceana, Virginia. Since then, he has completed two combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and is currently serving as Force Landing Signal Officer for the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet. In 2007 and 2008 he waved the first-ever arrestments of the French Rafale and Boeing EA-18G aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier.
As an instructor at the US Navy’s Landing Signal Officer School, Erik helped design and implement a $2 million instructor console and graphics upgrade to the world’s only LSO Trainer. His roles included designing the custom touch-screen user interface and displays for the instructor/operator station, setting program requirements, software engineering, and troubleshooting. He’s most proud of writing the code to determine and display proper lunar light levels for night-time recoveries.
Erik was fortunate to represent the US Navy on the F-35 Lightning II requirements staff. While there, he provided a fleet perspective on pilot vehicle interface designs, particularly the unique dual touchscreen cockpit displays which replace the traditional gauges and multifunction displays on older aircraft. After deep immersion in two complex government acquisition programs, Erik learned a great deal about what to do and what not to do as a customer, broker and contractor.
Bob VanderClay
Chief Technologist
Bob left home at the age of eight to discover rural America as a railroad bum. Hitching rides aboard freight liners gave him a unique view of the world. “I became close friends with a lot of hay bales and learned to speak their language. It’s called PHP.”