Rob Mead – Long-way turn from Yellowstone to Seattle
everything I did...
What were you dreaming of becoming when you were a kid?
Actually… I did not dream of anything in particular. I put passion into everything I did, wanted to be good in what I did… I always felt that life was going in a good direction and I just went with it.
What made you become part of the aviation family?
The blame for that goes to the US Air Force. By pure chance I ended up flying in the back of RC135s and never looked back since. I knew right from the start that flying was the pladce to be for me. Still feel the same way.
What were the most significant sideways jumps in your professional life?
I can think of four… When I went to the USAF recruiting center my intention was to sign up as a medical technician and to become a doctor in time. As it turned out, they were offering bonus money and other incentives to people who were willing to apply for a job a little out of the ordinary and I took the offer. So, instead of donning a white lab-coat I took and passed some extra tests and in short order found myself doing duty on an RC135… It was great and they just made me love the Service… this was in the UK by the way.
Even the best show gets boring after a time and when I started feeling restless and flying was not that exciting anymore, I made plans to return to the US. Once more events took a sideways jump… An ATM job opened unexpectedly in the UK CAA to which I applied and they hired me. Moving into the civilian environment was a big step as was the change in thinking, going from concepts like collateral damage to maintaining and improving safety… but I managed.
The third such jump came when I was at EUROCONTROL where we had just finished Phase 1 of the first Petal trial. (Petal was one of the most successful projects ever devised at EUROCONTROL with its conclusions on air/ground digital link implementation still driving things to-day – Ed.)This was about showing that air/ground digital link and controller/pilot digital link communications could in fact work. Once again I was ready to leave for the US… Things went well with Petal but there was a lot of skepticism about the feasibility of in-service trials, the logical next step. Back home I asked my Dad what he thought about this. He asked only one question: are you convinced that you can do those trials? When I said yes, he said simply: then go back and do it! EUROCONTROL backed me up and the rest is history.
On the third try I actually managed to move back to the US where I started to work at Boeing. This was a big change for two reasons: moving from communications to navigation is a bigger deal than one would think at first sight and the sphere and modus operandi at a huge corporation like Boeing are very different from what I had experience in working for the US Air Force or the UK CAA. With the right adjustments fitting in went smoothly though.
What were the most significant events that shaped your professional life?
I think the jump from general service in the USAF to flying duties, then the move to the civilian environment of the CAA have left a lasting mark on my thinking. But the Petal experience and lately my work on tailored arrivals have shaped things also…
Positive influence also came on a much more basic level from the times I played American football with a USAF team. You acquire a completely different mindset about how you approach things, how you approach others, how you strive to be part of a team…
Was there a person who had a profound influence on your life?
My father, no question about that. I grew up as the son of a Yellowstone Park Ranger and he has always been the source of wisdom to me, something that did not change even after I started to live my own life. What he did was give unfettered advice based on his uncanny ability to look at things objectively, being able to understand our problems like no other with the full benefit of his years… The wonderful thing about him is that you can take the advice or leave it, he will not take offence. He is wise enough to know that even good advice is sometimes impossible to follow… His are very Western US values… real cowboy values as he calls them.
Was there a company that had a profound influence on your professional life?
Not really… all the companies I have worked at had a positive contribution… ok, there were some negatives, but they all helped me to go where I needed to go. Somehow we were always able to find the direction that we both wanted to follow, a spot in the organization that was just right for me…
Was there a “Darth Vader” in your life that you needed to conquer?
There are always a few… but it is important not to focus on them. Deal with them but they should not become the focus of what you do. They are not worth it.
If you had a second chance, would you try to avoid aviation as a career?
No, definitely not. May be some things would be slightly different but no big changes. I always found that even when things were a bit bumpy, they were opening up new avenues for me.
Would you recommend aviation as a career to young people to-day?
I do a lot of mentoring these days, meeting many young people. I like to quote them the words of Ray Lewis, the American football linebacker: “Do what you do and the rest will follow”.
This applies also for a career in aviation. Do it if you feel it is for you… the rest will follow!
What personal traits should they develop first and foremost?
That is a big one… wide open too! But there are a few I think should be right at the top.
Hard work, passion, curiosity. Be open and willing to share. You must share what you know and must be ready to share what others know. You must avoid being territorial… it is a killer! If you are not open to doing things together with others, success will elude you in this business.
In conclusion?
One of our mid-level engineers used to say that “successful people stay outside the hairball”. Do not get drawn into the fights… focus on where the purpose is, what is exciting… and the rest will follow!
