T&L Publications

Contact me if anyone has interest in working on UAV's (Unmanned Aircraft). "The Predator" www.uav.com

John Hopper
[email protected]
www.uav.com

In answer to the title question, YES. The world of electronics is becoming disposable. For over 30 years, equipment repairs in some areas has been entire PCB replacement rather than component-level troubleshooting because of (a) the high cost of labor compared to that of the board and (b) because that particular industry cannot stand any down time for the equipment. Back in 1976, the big Texas semiconductor manufacturers couldn't stand to have their Tektronix semiconductor test systems go down, for it cost the company hundreds of thousands of dollars a day with it down considering that they were manufacturing $200 and $300 microprocessors that each had to go through the test system. They would pay the plane ticket for a Tek to fly from Beaverton OR and for a seat next to the tech for his tool kit. Then they'd pay for a next-flight-out seat for any repair boards -- passenger rate for a PCB to "occupy a seat" (talk about weird overbooking) just to get there faster than FedEx could.

Dean

Come on Dean, the guy just wants your resume!

I know. That's why I answered the title question, not the material in the body of the post. Actually, I'm wondering where the guy's OTHER post is!

Oops! I found it. It's over in the Robotics forum.

Dean

Figures! He wants a robot to fly his robot planes.

Incorrect jwax.....we're seeking robots to work on the planes. j/k

jwax wrote:Figures! He wants a robot to fly his robot planes.

My apologies, John!
I myself would love to work with some of the coolest of all R/C devices ('cept maybe for the Mars Pathfinder).
However, youse in Kaliforny, right? Been there, done that. Both times (in 1987 and again in 2001, ended in layoffs. Seems like a pattern.
John

Hey John,

No need to apologize. We've all felt the blow of corp or economic chaos at some point or another.

As a corporation for the past 15 years, GA-ASI has not had one layoff, as we're a little different than the likes of a Northrop, Lockheed, or Boeing, etc. We're still private and have a retirement plan, where one is vested 100% at 3 years.....typically unheard of.

Since, 9/11, we've grown from 200 employees to over 3100 today, with projected headcount addition of another 1000 from now until the end of 2009.

With the Air Force disbanding a Wing of F-16's for our newly launched Reaper, there's definitely going to be opportunity for quite a "long" time. UAV's and UV's are and will be the cool R/C technology wave of the future. We're not just involved with DoD, but also allied countries, our Border Patrol, Homeland Security, NASA, etc.

Plus, now's the time to buy property in Cali, while property prices are dropping and still less expensive compared to the "the East Coast".

Cheers
JH

jwax wrote:My apologies, John!
I myself would love to work with some of the coolest of all R/C devices ('cept maybe for the Mars Pathfinder).
However, youse in Kaliforny, right? Been there, done that. Both times (in 1987 and again in 2001, ended in layoffs. Seems like a pattern.
John

Thanks John, and best of luck to you and your growing crew.
I'd have to debate that property in southern Cal is "still less expensive compared to the 'the East Coast'", however.
Salaries are certainly more in California!
John

How much composite material is on your UAV's and UV's? The company I work for specializes in composite components. Our customers include Bombardier, Boeing, Cessna, Hondajet, ASC Signal (fomerly Andrew Canada), and we are bidding on parts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (http://www.jsf.mil).

Pretty much all Carbon Fiber....our MQ-1 Predator weighs roughly 2500lbs.
The newer MQ-9's and Reapers (35ft in length w/66ft wingspans) are around 5 tons. They're designed very light weight and fuel efficient. The bigger planes are capable of 20 hours in the sky.

John

Craig wrote:How much composite material is on your UAV's and UV's? The company I work for specializes in composite components. Our customers include Bombardier, Boeing, Cessna, Hondajet, ASC Signal (fomerly Andrew Canada), and we are bidding on parts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (http://www.jsf.mil).