Interesting people, unusual flight plans…

David Allen – Raised in an aviation family in an aviation town

Dave was Chief Engineer, Crew Information Systems at Boeing

What were you dreaming of becoming when you were a kid?
I was raised in an aviation family in an aviation town. I was born and raised for 16 years in Wichita, Kansas. My father was an Industrial Engineer for Boeing, one uncle was a factory manager for Boeing in Philadelphia (previously a P-40 pilot during WWII), another uncle was a Boeing purchasing agent, and another uncle was a B-25 mechanic during WWI. So, I was raised listening to how airplanes were built at the dinner table. I remember going to the Wichita airport when I was around 10 to see my dad off on a trip to Seattle. I got to meet Bill Allen in the airport. So I have always been around aviation whilst growing up. We moved to Seattle for 10 months while my father worked on the TFX program (became the F-111, which Boeing lost). In 1968, we moved to Seattle where he became Director of Industrial Engineering for the new 737.
I digress some here. As I was growing up, my mother always brought up a complaint about one trip my father took right after my little sister was born. He was sent to Seattle for one week. That turned into two weeks, and slowing turned into 6 weeks. I listened to this many times over the years. A couple of years ago, after my mother brought it up again, my Dad asked me if I knew what he did during that time. He was sent up to do an analysis of the Renton plant to figure out how they would build the 737. After a week, he told the VP that there was not enough factory floor space to build the 737. That caused a great panic and he brought some other folks from Wichita. They figured out how to build the fuselage in Wichita and send it by train to Renton. They developed the complete plan and gained approval in that six weeks. Pretty amazing.
However, like most kids, I had no real career plans other than going to college.
If it was not aviation, what moved you to become part of the aviation family?

Well, this is a longer story. During high school and college I worked in grocery stores to earn money. My parents were from Wichita so they didn’t believe in providing extra money. I got interested in Archaeology and Psychology. Due to my father’s urging, I took all of the classes in computing offered at that time. Both of them. At the time, the concept was to start at the bottom so the first class I took was in machine language. I also took a class in Algol 68. It was fun, but was a means to an end. I took a graduate course in Archaeology Analysis and ended up with 60 bags of broken pottery lip sherds (the broken piece which contains part of the pot lip). The professor said that we would take measurements of 32 parameters, draw the sherd on a card with the parameters, and then spend time sorting them into different piles over and over. That seemed insane to me and I convinced him that I could write a program to do that. I convinced my work-mate to share the analysis with me and he would punch the data cards and I would write the program. I was using a Burroughs 5500 which had just been upgraded to 64k of core. I wrote what I now know is a horrible program…but it worked. The professor used it for years afterwards.

I was still working at grocery stores (making $11/hour as a journeyman which was good pay in the early 70s). I tried to get into graduate school, but times were tough in the 70s and I didn’t make it.
So, I was out of school and married by then. I was transferred to a store in a bad part of town. I had to call my wife from time to time and tell her, “Please bring my .45, shoulder holster, and 3 clips.”; because I had my life threatened again. She didn’t like that much.
The Union went on strike and my Dad told me that Boeing was looking for anyone who had computing experience. I applied and accepted a job at Boeing (and took a pay cut). You can see on my CV what I did there. I started in Boeing Commercial Engineering Computing Systems and helped develop the first interactive computing system for Engineering. We were running it on an HP3000 which had just been upgraded to 256k of core and we got the first 50MByte disk drives which were bigger than a barcalounger.
I later went on to get a Masters of Software Engineering from Seattle University.
What were the most significant sideways jumps in your professional life?
I took many jumps.
The first was moving from Engineering Computing Systems to Avionics. In the early 1980s, Boeing had started putting digital computers into airplanes. They were struggling with software and the issues that it’s flexibility introduced. My manager asked if I would consider moving to Avionics to help them out as I had worked with most of the Project Engineers in that area, they hated the Software Quality folks that they worked with, and he knew I got along well with them. I was in the middle of my SWE Masters and had read much on military avionics and so I decided to make that move. I got to work on the first integrated avionics system, the Performance Data Computer/Autothrottle for the 727. It was great.
The 737-300 program was just starting and I got the opportunity to work on that. It got into a little trouble and all of a sudden this young fellow showed up and took control. He had just returned from the MIT Sloan Fellowship program. He tore the whole organization apart and I found myself working on loan from the Quality organization for him in Program Planning and Control and Software Engineering. You might have guessed by now it was Alan Mulally. I worked very closely with him during that time whilst still in the project phase of my Masters Program. I remember working until 10pm, leaving updated plans/schedules on his desk, and having markups on my desk at 5:30am the next day. It was an amazing experience and affected my career in interesting ways. One day he told me that a new Chief Engineer for Avionics was coming and that he wouldn’t accept loan-ins. He told me to give my resume to that guy…Dick Peal. I did, he hired me, and I was on the program.
After a while, I became Manager of Software Engineering for the 7/7/7 Division (707/727/737). I got to work on the first Wind Shear enabled Ground Proximity Computer, FMCs, Autothrottles, Engine Instruments, Yaw Dampers and other gear.
I was later asked to take over the EFIS program for the 737 (which was to be a common part with the 757/767). After getting the first EFIS with a speed tape on a 737, I told Dick Peal that I was a little bored. He told me that my paycheck was going to be delivered to Everett and that I should be there to pick it up. That was his way of telling me that I was Software Engineering Manager for the 747-400, which was in trouble. When I first got there, I had 32 engineers. I think at the peak I had about 120. We did get the airplane delivered. Again, I got a little bored. My father once told me that if you don’t try to organize yourself out of a job; you are empire building (he always put Boeing first). So, I developed a plan to decentralize Software Engineering to move the specialists into the groups they supported. It worked and I was out of a job.
I ended up being manager of the Flight Management Computer System for 747/757/767. One of my favorite people (Tony Martin) told me that when you have a great job…don’t move on for career’s sake. So I didn’t. I had a great time. We had a lot of problems and spent a year or so fixing the 747-400 FMCS software. There had been a promise made by Boeing to offer an Air Traffic Control solution based on the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN). We did make the offer, by the mid 1990s, deregulation had made the airlines more fiscally conscious. It didn’t take.
There was significant agitation from some very good 747-400 Customers. The Pacific Engineering Trials had demonstrated that Automatic Dependence Surveillance (ADS) and Controller Pilot Datalink Communications (CPDLC) worked. So I was tasked with developing an constrained offer using existing ACARS communication. FANS 1 was born. We had significant support from some key airlines: QANTAS, United Airlines, Air New Zealand, and Cathay Pacific. They were part of the team that helped develop the offering. It included the first implementation of transport category airplane use of GPS. It also included ADS-contract and CPDLC using ACARS (via VHF and Satcom).

When FANS 1 was made offerable, we initiated a team with several Air Navigation Service Providers (Australia, US, New Zealand, and Tahiti). We used this to create the FANS 1 Interoperability Document which defined the interface between air traffic control and the airplane. We used a QANTAS 747-400 for our test flights and it was successfully certified. The 777 development was in full swing and we were able to do things “under the radar” which reduced costs. The flight test program in Australia was probably one of the things I will always remember from my career. The only thing I worried about was whether this was the highlight…that I would never get to do something like this again.

As all things go, they change. There was a great reorganization within Boeing Engineering and I found myself kinda sorta out of a job again. The FANS 1 development had made an impression on Boeing and there was an understanding that Boeing needed to be more involved with Air Traffic Control and the impact on Airplane Systems. So I was moved to a new group called Communications/Navigation/Surveillance/Air Traffic Control (CNS/ATM). I later became Chief Engineer of that group. The mission of the group was to influence the development of ATC procedures which increased airspace utilization (and increased safety) whilst defining aircraft system required modifications.

During that time, I was pulled into an important aircraft sales campaign with a domestic carrier. They had requested (demanded) ATN. I had declined and the current Boeing Commercial Airplane President informed me that was not an option. So, I developed an offering (which I now know was WAY underpriced). I sat in a meeting with the leaders of that airline, presented the offering, and they went around the room. Everyone loved it until it got to one guy who asked, “Who’s going to tell me when this will pay for itself.” No one spoke up, and he said, “I don’t think so.” He was a Finance guy. It made a big impression on me. Later, after Boeing lost the competition, I passed by a meeting room where Alan Mulally was speaking. He ran out to tell me that he didn’t blame me for the loss. Afterwards, I met with Alan and told him what had happened. Then and there, the mission changed for the CNS/ATM group. Alan wanted to develop a joint group between the airlines and Boeing to figure out business cases for the airlines. The CNS/ATM Focused Team was the result and great work was done in using business cases to analyze the feasibility of desired ATM improvements.

Boeing was convinced (by outside consultants) that Air Traffic Management would be a great business. I was convinced it was not and that it would destroy our “honest broker” influence. The whole CNS/ATM group was drafted into the business venture. I did not have a good relationship with the Executive VP of the group and I decided to leave (about two days before he decided I had to leave). I sent an email to Alan Mulally asking to come back to the Commercial Airplane Company. After I left the ATM business unit, Alan asked to talk to me. We talked a little about ATM but mostly about wide band data and how it could be used. My FANS 1 and CNS/ATM experience had given me some ideas. I hacked out a presentation and showed it to Alan. He liked it and had me show it to some of his VPs, but nothing came of it at that time.
After a short stint back in Avionics, I was offered the job of Chief Engineer for the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). I had worked with the Director previously and liked the idea of doing something new again. That was one of my best moves. I had a ball working on that program. We were working under Commercial Aircraft Services, building a unit which had never been built before, providing hardware for production aircraft, and “under the radar” again (due to the 787 development). My worries about never getting to do something like FANS 1 again were allayed.

What were the most significant events that influenced your professional life?
I would have to say my movement into avionics. When I was in my SWE Masters program, I met a lot of guys from Microsoft (remember this was 1980). They wanted me to come and work for Microsoft. If I had done that, I probably would have retired as a millionaire much earlier (although not with my current wife [married 35 years] as the divorce rate was greater than 80%). I told them I didn’t think I could work on systems which pushed a printer again. I am not unhappy with my decision. I believe I had a great career that I can be proud of and I’m still married to my first wife.
Was there a person who had a profound influence on your professional life?
I can’t pin it down to just one. So, I’ll provide a list (in order):
• My Father – who taught me how to be a technical manager, project manager, and good human being.
• Alan Mulally – who taught me how to be a leader. The importance of people and communication.
• Dick Peal – who taught me how to be a technical leader.
• Russ Chew – I worked with him when he was Director of Strategic Operations as part of the CNS/ATM Focused team. He taught me how airlines  operate  as a business and greatly helped me in learning how to deal with airline customers.
• Bob Davis – a senior Vice President who taught me what a technically competent, ethical VP should be.
• Rick Blank – taught me to look at projects as a business case. The best widget in the world doesn’t mean a thing if no one can buy it.
• Tony Martin – Taught me how to be a technically oriented manager, lead from the lab, learn the system.
• Dick Spradlin – A Chief Engineer who showed me how important it was to stand up to senior executives when necessary. My favorite quote; “They don’t give hero badges for coming in under budget if the airplane doesn’t work.”
• Jules Berger – A Chief Engineer who taught me how to make technical decisions and then move forward.
• Dick Wurdack – Probably the best technical engineer I had worked with. His motto, “Step back and look at First Principles”. He taught me how to approach horrible engineering problems (with lots of suppliers and people involved) in a disciplined fashion.
Was there a company which had a profound influence on your professional life?
I would have to say Boeing would be the first. I was raised in Boeing. My father taught me that Boeing was more important than my career. My daughter works for Boeing.
There have been several instances where Boeing “has done the right thing” even though it hurt. I can’t divulge details, but I know them to be true.

One instance I can talk about. I was Project Engineer for the 737 EFIS. We had a customer who had ordered a speed tape (the first for EFIS) and had removed the Standby instrument. During First Article Inspection, I found a real problem. I put a hold on that airplane delivery. It was a landmark delivery for other reasons and there was a huge celebration scheduled. It was a nasty problem with no immediate solution. I was called into the Directors office to explain what the heck was going on. He was an old timer and quite frankly couldn’t understand the explanation. He finally lost patience and yelled, “Dammit, I don’t know what is wrong and I don’t care. Just fix it so it is right and tell me when it is done.” And that is the last I heard. It got fixed and the airplane delivered. But there was No pressure to accept a fix that wasn’t right.
I also had cases where subsidiaries had problems on the flight line and I pulled their systems from the airplane. They whined and threatened, but the Boeing execs ignored them. There were no instances where I felt pressured to deliver something I didn’t think was right.
Was there a “Darth Vader” in your life that you needed to conquer?
Quite frankly, not really. I had issues with the Exec VP of the ATM Business unit, but I didn’t feel I needed to “conquer” him. The realities would do it for me. My biggest concern was for the people being hired which would be laid off when the venture failed. They only thing I could do leave.
If you had a second chance, would you try to avoid aviation as a career?
No way. Working at Boeing has been wonderful. My biggest problem was not working too much. I had the opportunity to:
• Work under tremendous management
• Work in a ethical environment which met my expectations.
• Be a Designated Engineering Representative and work with the regulators in developing and complying with reasonable rules.
• Work with a bunch of REALLY smart engineers.
• Lead teams developing cutting edge new technologies.
• Travel the world and work with airline and foreign regulators.
• Work on safety related regulations.
• Make enough money to buy a house, raise a family, send my daughters through college, and retire.
• Be proud of everything I have done.
• Who could ask for more.

Would you recommend aviation as a career to young people to-day?
Yes, for all of the reasons above. One daughter is working for Boeing. The other has a Phd in BioChemical Engineering from MIT and working in her field so I can’t say that doesn’t make me proud as well.
What personal traits should they develop first and foremost?
• Ethical behavior first and foremost.
• Your current job comes first. People who concentrate on their future jobs screw up their current job.
• The people you pass up in your career are the same people you will pass through as your career declines. Be nice to them.
• If you are a manager, your people come first. The project comes second. You can break that rule once. Then you’ll find you have no one for the second project.
• Engineering happens in the lab. If you are not there, you will not know what is going on.
• Think through the consequences of decisions, concentrate on potential unintended consequences. As I have told my daughters, thing second and third order consequences.
• Learn to communication, that means listen a lot before you speak.
• Think three times before hitting the “reply all” button on email.
• Think the best of folks before you think the worst.
• Learn how to make decisions. A delayed decision is a decision. The amount of data required for a decision is directly related to the negative consequences of that decision and the ability to modify that decision before disaster strikes.
• Learn to think through your assumptions. This means that your assumptions about how things are might not be right. Be flexible in assessing the reality of your assumptions.
• Learn how to evaluate the advice you get. Consider the source. This means you need to keep mental track of the accuracy of advice from each source.
What was the funniest, aviation related situation you can recall having been in?
I was on a test flight on an empty 747-400. We were over Montana, flying high and fast (I believe it was FL410 and we were at .88m). I had been called into the cockpit by the chief test pilot with his usual, “I want that FMC asshole up here now.” So, I went up there to get yelled at for a while. I was walking back through the upper deck. There were like one row of seats near the cockpit bulkhead and nothing except the flight attendant seats near the mid-doors. I was about 3 feet from the bulkhead seats when the airplane dropped. I was weightless and swimming for a flight attendant seat. I finally grabbed a seatback and buckled in when the captain said, “Y’all might want to buckle up, we might hit some turbulence.” Yeah.
In conclusion?
I think that I couldn’t have created a better career experience than I had. I was lucky in the beginning, skilled at interpersonal stuff, and ruthless in the end. I was lucky in that I had great mentors and got great jobs which gave me a reputation as someone who could bring a complex project home. My first degree in Psychological/Anthropology gave me a background to understand people and care about them. I had a dedicated group of folks who moved with me from job to job. They did it because they knew I loved them and would take care of them. I was ruthless in the end because I refused to work for people I didn’t respect or on jobs I thought worthless or doomed to failure or people who didn’t respect my troopers.