Andrew McFarland

Experience

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  US Navy

  Jun 1995 - Dec 2001

  • VFA-151 Operational F/A-18 Pilot

    Oct 1998 - Dec 2001

  • T-34C/T-2C/TA-4J/F/A-18 Student Pilot

    Jun 1995 - Sept 1998
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  U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School

  Jan 2002 - Dec 2002

  Student Test Pilot
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  Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 30 (VX-30)

  Jan 2003 - Sept 2004

  F/A-18 Test Pilot & Project Officer

  Project Officer for the Navy's Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM), SLAM Expanded Response (SLAM-ER), Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and Harpoon weapons systems. I was the military lead within the 25 person Integrated Planning Team (IPT) and managed a $10M test program. Duties included test planning, risk management, presenting papers at conferences, leading working groups, report writing, and most importantly execution of test sorties as an F/A-18 Hornet Test Pilot.

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  US Navy

  Oct 2004 - Jun 2005

  VFA-97 Operational F/A-18 Pilot & Department Head

  My primary duty as a Mission Commander was to plan and safely execute multi-aircraft events in support of Marine Air Group 12 (MCAS Iwakuni, Japan) and Commader, Strike Fighter Wing Pacific (NAS Lemoore, CA). While deployed to Japan, I participated in and led missions in support of the Thailand Integrated Training Program - Aviation (Korat Royal Thai AFB), KEEN SWORD (MCAS Iwakuni, Japan) and BEVERLY MIDNIGHT (Osan AB, Republic of Korea). In addition to flight duties, my "ground job" was to lead the Administrative Department comprised of 30 Sailors and Officers. Show less

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  Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX-31)

  Jun 2005 - Oct 2007

  F/A-18 Advanced Systems Test Pilot & Project Officer

  I am the sole military Project Officer in the Advanced Systems Design Group at the F/A-18 and EA-18G Advanced Weapons Laboratory in China Lake, CA. I lead a team of 22 DOD aircraft software designers, weapons integration specialists, and flight test engineers on a variety of highly technical and innovative systems. In addition to chairing design reviews, tactics working groups and multiple levels of test planning, I am the lead test pilot responsible for safe and efficient flight test of the many F/A-18A-F weapons systems under our purview. Show less

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  The Society of Experimental Test Pilots

  Sept 2005 - Aug 2006

  West Coast Section Secretary
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  Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)

  Oct 2007 - Apr 2011

  I lead a multi-disciplinary team of 10 engineers and manage the NAVAIR Systems Engineering Technical Review (SETR) process on all variants of the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW). Two variants (JSOW A and A-1) are out of production and in the sustainment phase of their life cycle. JSOW C is in full rate production and JSOW C-1 is in the integration phase of development - both will primarily be used on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to support Strike missions requiring a weapon with Standoff Outside Point Defense (SOPD) and/or Network Enabled Weapon (NEW) Moving Maritime Target (MMT) capability. Show less

  • Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Chief Systems Engineer

    Nov 2009 - Apr 2011

  • PMA-265 F/A-18 & EA-18G Radar IPT Lead

    Oct 2007 - Nov 2009
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  The Society of Experimental Test Pilots

  Apr 2010 - Sept 2017

  Responsible for selecting technical presentations for and, with the help of SETP Staff, organizing the Society's annual Symposium. The year-long planning effort resulted in smoothly executing the 3 day event encompassing 30+ technical presentations with over 600 members and industry partners in attendance. Lead the East Coast section's activities which focus on membership retention, recruitment, and professional development via our annual symposium. Educational outreach events are also targeted at informing students at a young age about the challenges and merits of the flight test profession. I also serve on the SETP national Board of Directors as the East Coast Representative. Served on the SETP Board of Directors. Led several society functions catering to the 500+ person membership in the West Coast Section of SETP. Organized Section Symposium with 100+ in attendance.

  • Symposium Chairman

    Oct 2016 - Sept 2017

  • East Coast Section Treasurer & Chairman

    Oct 2014 - Sept 2016

  • West Coast Section Vice Chairman & Chairman

    Sept 2011 - Sept 2014

  • East Coast Section Vice Chairman

    Apr 2010 - Aug 2011
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  Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31 (VX-31)

  Jun 2011 - May 2014

  Commanding Officer & Chief Test Pilot

  As Commanding Officer, I am responsible for the safe and efficient maintenance and operation of 29 aircraft (11 different type/model/series) with a personnel mix of 400+ USN/USMC Officers, Enlisted, Civilians, and Contractors. VX-31 flies over 4000 hours annually, 70% of which directly supports RDT&E of NAVAIR programs. VX-31 tests and evaluates multiple developmental weapons and weapon systems used on various strike and assault platforms including F/A-18 A-F, EA-18G, AV-8B, AH-1W/Z, UH-1Y, and T-39D aircraft. The squadron also operates several MH-60S aircraft, which provide Search and Rescue capabilities for the California high desert. Show less

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  Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)

  Jun 2014 - Apr 2017

  Senior military staff member and advisor to the Program Executive Officer, Tactical Aircraft Programs (PEO(T)), with oversight responsibilities for 11 major NAVAIR and SPAWAR program offices with budget authority of $6.5B across the FYDP. Principal liaison for PEO(T) to Flag/General Officers and Senior Executives at many DoD, Navy, Air Force, and government organizations such as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD(AT&L)), Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition (ASN(RDA)), Commander Operational Test Force (COTF), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Show less

  • PMA-298 Program Manager / Deputy Program Manager

    Jan 2015 - Apr 2017

  • PEO(T) Chief of Staff

    Jun 2014 - Dec 2014
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  Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD)

  May 2017 - May 2018

  I am the senior officer on staff and responsible for the smooth operations of all NAWCWD activities. I also augment VX-31 as an F/A-18 test pilot for developmental test missions. Our civilian / contractor/ military workforce of 7500+ people at NAWCWD are executing full-spectrum weapons and warfare systems research, development, acquisition, test, and evaluation. We execute over $800M in contracts annually and have a combined obligation authority over $2.5B. Naval Test Wing Pacific, comprised of VX-31 at China Lake and VX-30 at Pt. Mugu, execute over 2,000 test events annually and integrate weapons and warfighting systems on AV-8B, EA-6B, EA-18G, F/A-18A-F, EP-3E, F-35, F-22, Helicopters (AH1, AH-1W, AH-1Z, UH-1Y), Unmanned Systems (UGV, ScanEagle, Firescout), ships & submarines. We also operate the Navy’s west coast Land Ranges (1.1M Acres) and Sea Range (up to 220,000 sq. mi.) in support of Joint, Coalition, and other foreign services. Show less

  • F-35 Military Director

    Jan 2018 - May 2018

  • Vice Commander

    May 2017 - Jan 2018
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  Naval Test Wing Pacific (NTWP)

  May 2018 - Jun 2020

  Commander

  Accountable for execution of 2,000+ annual flight test and test support events, primarily on the China Lake Land Ranges and Point Mugu Sea Ranges. VX-30 operates C-130, P-3 and RQ-23 aircraft in worldwide locations supporting various MRTFB customers and other agencies including NASA. VX-31 is primarily responsible for integration of weapons and warfighting systems on its stable of AV-8B, EA-18G, and F/A-18A-F aircraft supporting a multitude of Navy and Marine Corps programs. VX-31 also provides Search & Rescue services for the R-2508 Complex and beyond. Responsible for 700+ personnel and 50+ aircraft valued at over $2B. Show less

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  The Society of Experimental Test Pilots

  Sept 2018 - Oct 2021

  • Treasurer, Board of Directors

    Sept 2020 - Oct 2021

  • 64th Symposium & Banquet Chairman

    Oct 2019 - Sept 2020

  • Legal Officer, Board of Directors

    Sept 2018 - Sept 2019
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  Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD)

  Jun 2020 - Jul 2020

  Transitioning Senior Naval Aviator and Test Pilot & Chairman of the 64th SETP Symposium and Banquet
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  ATAC (Airborne Tactical Advantage Company)

  Aug 2020 - now

  Director, Research & Development // Mirage F1 & Mk.58 Hunter Pilot

  Responsible for the relevance and future upgrades of Airborne Tactical Advantage Company’s fleet of adversary aircraft, to include Mirage F1, Mk-58 Hawker Hunter, F-21 Kfir, and L-39 Albatross. Assess “buy vs. lease” possibilities with industry and foreign militaries in order to provide the most affordable “cost per flight hour” that meets USAF, USN and USMC adversary requirements.

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  The Society of Experimental Test Pilots

  Sept 2022 - now

  • President, Board of Directors

    Sept 2024 - now

  • President-Elect, Board of Directors

    Sept 2023 - Sept 2024

  • Vice President, Board of Directors

    Sept 2022 - Sept 2023