EAC Consultants

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accident Investigation/Insurance Adjuster

Michael Grady From 1988 to 1993 Michael Grady was employed by Aviation Underwriting Specialists as a Claims Examiner and Senior Claims Examiner. From 1993 to 1997 he was employed by Comav Managers, Inc. as Senior Claims Representative and Senior Claims Supervisor. From 1997 to 2007 he was employed by AIG Aviation, Inc. as a Claims Specialist, Claims Manager and Assistant Vice President.

Michael holds a Commercial Pilot certificate with instrument rating and a Mechanic Certificate with Airframe and Powerplant ratings. He received an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aircraft Maintenance Technology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Technology. He holds a number of investigation and claims related licenses and designations. Michael owns, operates and maintains a Cessna 182 single engine aircraft.

Michael has conducted field investigations of accidents involving aviation and related exposures throughout the United States. In addition to his investigative responsibilities he also examined hull and liability claims involving airlines, airports, corporate aircraft, fixed base operators, manufactured products, agricultural aviation and general aviation aircraft. He prepared demands for arbitration and subrogation, managed and directed claims litigation and directed independent investigators and consultants. Michael hired, trained and supervised claims department personnel. He served as an Arbitrator and Director for the Aviation Defense Managers Council.

Michael provides accident investigation, accident reconstruction, background investigation, asset investigation, fraud investigation, witness location, safety surveys, damage analysis, bodily injury evaluation, expert testimony, claims adjusting and consulting.

Maintenance Expert

Leonard Swope graduated from Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in 1967 with both an Airframe and Power plant certificate and went to work for Trans World Airlines in New York where he worked on the Boeing 707, 727 and 747 aircraft. Leonard took a short leave of absence for his tour in the military after being drafted in 1969. In the military Leonard was a Turbine Engine Specialist and an Instructor. After the military, Leonard returned to TWA in New York and stayed with TWA until December 1972.

On January 3, 1973 Leonard began work as an aircraft mechanic for the Federal Aviation Administration at Hangar 6 in Washington DC where he worked on the FAA’s fleet of both general aviation and executive type aircraft.

In September of 1981, due to a reduction in force at the FAA, Leonard transferred to the Engine Shop at Davidson Army Airfield in Virginia where he worked on both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. Due to having his Airframe and Power plant certificates, Leonard also worked Airframe, The sheet metal shop, The prop and Rotor shop and the Paint shop.

In August 1984, Leonard accepted a position as an Air-carrier Aviation Maintenance Safety Inspector at the Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) in Indianapolis, IN. Leonard worked his way up through the ranks from inspector to Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) for Britt Airlines with their fleet of Swarengen SA226, Beechcraft 99 and Fairchild FH227 aircraft. Leonard was instrumental in the merger and transition of Britt Airlines into American Express Airlines which still exists today. Leonard then became the Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) for American Trans Air Airlines and helped them grow from a vacation airline to the 10 largest passenger carrying airlines in the United States. Their fleet grew from 1 Boeing 707 to 24 Boeing 727-200 aircraft, 30 Boeing 757 aircraft, 14 Lockheed L-1011 aircraft and 30 some Boeing 737 series aircraft. After 20 years as a PMI, Leonard became the Supervisor of the Airworthiness Section at the Indianapolis FSDO and maintained that position until he retired in November 2010.

Leonard’s duties as a PMI included approving and monitoring the approved aircraft maintenance and inspection programs for each fleet of aircraft including the Minimum Equipment List and Configuration Deviation list and time limitation list. Provided accident, Incident and occurrence investigations. Assured compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations. Worked with the air-carrier and the FAA aircraft certification office to put new production aircraft on the certificate. Worked with the air-carrier and FAA engineering for approval of minor and major changes to the aircraft including changes to the seating configurations and adding new equipment. Worked with the air-carrier to approve and monitor their Reliability Program, and the aging aircraft maintenance and inspection program, Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM) .

FAA Management/Air Traffic Control

David Canoles has over 40 years experience in air traffic control. He began his career with FAA in 1971 as a controller, and qualified in three FAA terminal facilities. He then progressed out of the controller ranks and became a training instructor, first line supervisor and went on to manage two FAA facilities. In 1987 he was promoted into the Senior Executive ranks and held a succession of line and policy making positions. From 1987 to 1990 he headed the Eastern Region Air Traffic Division and was responsible for over 3500 employees and approximately 90 air traffic facilities.

Dave managed the air traffic procedures Division before moving on to lead the Evaluations and Investigations Directorate. He retired in 2006 as the safety regulator for all air traffic facilities in the US after forming that organization. He is experienced in the development and evaluation of both domestic and international ATC procedures.

Since his retirement, Dave has served as consultant and expert witness in a number of ATC related cases.

Aircraft Pre-Sales Appraisal/ Maintenance Audit.

Captain Fred Medlock is President of an Aviation Consulting Firm that specializes in Aircraft Appraisals, Buyers Agent Services, Maintenance Audits, Flight Instruction, Pre-Purchase Inspections and Safety Consulting. He has consulted on complex aircraft and overseas transactions, refereed maintenance and insurance disputes. He has worked for Federal Judges, Lawyers, High Net Worth Individuals, Insurance Companies, Financial Institutions and Corporations. His reports have been admitted before the courts, loan committees and the Internal Revenue Service in establishing Fair Market values for Aircraft, Rotorcraft and associated Aerospace Machinery.

Captain Medlock is a Senior Certified Aircraft Appraiser with the National Aircraft Appraisers Association with USPAP endorsement. He also maintains membership with the American Society of Appraisers (Aviation Specific). He is an actively engaged A&P Mechanic with Inspection Authorization. His experience includes FAA part 135, FAA part 141, FAA part 91 and FAA part 121. He is a Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) with the National Business Aviation Association and a FAA Safety Team Representative. He currently maintains memberships in the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association, Kentucky Aviation Association and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and is the designated Airport Support Network Volunteer for the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Airport.

He is also a three time recipient of the Sikorsky Helicopter Rescue Award and a Kentucky Colonel. He resides with his wife and son in Florence Kentucky just outside of the Cincinnati area.

General Aviation / FAA Expert

Donald Marquez is a Professor Emeritus from Vincennes University. During his 31 year tenure at the University he served as a member of the Aviation Flight teaching faculty, as Department Chairman of Aviation Technology, and retired as an Interim Dean.

Don remains an active pilot and holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate and Flight Instructor Certificate and is also a Federal Aviation Administration Designated Pilot Examiner. As a DPE he has administered more than 3000 FAA Practical Tests for Private, Commercial, Instrument, Multiengine, Flight Instructor and Instrument Flight Instructor Certificates/Ratings. He also served the FAA for many years as an Accident Prevention Counselor prior to that program being discontinued.

Don is married and has two grown children, one an airline pilot and the other a college professor. His favorite retirement activity, other than his grandchildren, is travel, both domestic and foreign.

Human Factors & Physiology Expert

Dispatch Expert
Airline Dispatch Consultant
Aircraft Dispatch Expert
Aviation Generalist

Phil Brooks, a 1984 graduate of Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Administration,  has more than 25 years of aviation industry experience.

Currently employed by a major U.S. passenger airline, he started his Dispatch career in 1989 in the air cargo industry. Phil is active with the Professional Airline Flight Control Association and The Airline Dispatchers Federation. He has been a Private Pilot since 1982.

Having extensive air travel experience, Phil has contributed articles and photographs to various aviation publications. An aviation enthusiast since childhood, he continues to expand his knowledge of all aspects of aviation. Over the decades, he has developed a wide range of Industry contacts.

Phil and his wife Pam have two grown daughters, and reside in a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Helicopter Pilot and Expert

Sarah Marie Deal was born to Richard and Marjorie Deal, in Bowling Green, Ohio on 14 September 1969. She is the 4th child of five; brother and sisters include: Rachelle, David, Darlene and Denese. She lived in Ohio until joining the Marine Corps in 1992. Sarah graduated from Eastwood High School in 1987 and then went on to Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Majoring in Aerospace Flight Technology she earned her Private and Commercial Pilot licenses along with her Instrument, Multi-engine and Certified Flight Instructor ratings before graduating in May 1992.

Sarah went through the process of joining the Marine Corps while still in college. On 16 March 1991 she was sworn in. She attended Officer Candidate School (OCS) between semesters in the summer of 1991.

Following graduation from Kent State, Sarah was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. She reported to The Basic School (TBS), in Quantico, VA in August 1992 and graduated in February 1993. Her first assignment was as a student at Air Traffic Control (ATC) School, NAS Memphis, Millington, TN. While attending ATC School, Secretary of Defense Les Aspin announced that women would be permitted to fly combat roles. Due to the fact that the Marine Corps had no women pilots they had to select women to enter the pipeline. Sarah was delighted with the chance to be in the Marine Corps and to fly also. She wasted no time in submitting an application package to the fleet accession board and was selected on 23 July 1993.

After completing ATC School July 1993 Sarah was transferred to NAS Pensacola for Flight School. Her Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API) course began in October 1993 and she joined VT-3, at NAS Whiting Field, in January 1994 to start military flight training. During Primary Flight School, she selected helicopters and received orders to HT-18, NAS Whiting Field, Milton, FL. On 21 April 1995, then 1st Lt Sarah Deal was winged as a Naval Aviator and became the First Female Marine Corps Aviator.

In HT-18 1st LT Deal chose CH-53’s as her preferred aircraft and was awarded a billet in California. She reported to HMT-302 in June of 1995 to learn how to fly the CH-53E, Super Sea Stallion. Her first Fleet Squadron was HMH-466, the “Wolfpack”, based at MCAS Tustin, Santa Ana, CA where she reported for duty in October 1995. She deployed twice with the “Wolfpack” through the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) to Okinawa, Japan.

Upon returning from her second deployment CAPT Deal transferred to MAG-16 HQ (which had now been relocated to MCAS Miramar, San Diego, CA) to be the Group Adjutant. She was at the Group from January 1999 until the end of June 1999 when she went back to a squadron which was short on pilots. She spent four months with HMH-361, the Flying Tigers, prior to her scheduled rotation to Fleet Aviation Specialized Operations Training Group Pacific, (FASOTRAGRUPAC), NAS North Island, CA in November 1999.

At FASOTRAGRUPAC, she was the Senior Marine and an Instructor at the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) School. Sarah rotated back to HMH-465 in April 2002 and was deployed to the Middle East for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Upon returning from the war on July 25th 2003, then Major Deal was assigned as the Executive Officer (2nd in command) of Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3 at Miramar, CA. After 12 years on active duty, Major Deal elected to transfer to the Marine Corps Reserves at the end June 2004. As a reservist she coordinated all the static display aircraft for Miramar Air Show for three years. The Miramar Air Show is the largest military air show in the world.

Recently she was asked to join HMH-769, a Reserve Marine CH-53E unit based at Edwards AFB in California. She is again flying the Super Sea Stallion, renewing her qualifications and adding new ones.

Sarah is married to Philip Burrow, former Navy F-14 pilot and still an Active Reservist. Phil is currently a Captain on the Airbus 320 for United Airlines and is assigned to a Naval Reserve Unit in support of Commander Third Fleet in San Diego. They are the proud parents of three boys; twins, Troy and Brandon Burrow, born 18 September 2001 and Eric Burrow born 2 November 2006.

Icing Expert

Captain Steven C. Ellis is an expert specializing in all aspects of icing Issues (Ground icing and Inflight icing). Steve has 39 years of professional flight experience with approximately 23,000 flight hours.

Currently an Airbus Captain for a major U.S. airline, Steve’s experience covers extensive time in propeller driven aircraft, and large transport jets. He is also a U.S. Army trained helicopter pilot with about 1450 helicopter hours.

Steve has about 10 years of experience working with his Airline, and the world wide aviation icing community, on inflight icing and ground icing safety issues. He has written much of the icing material in his airline’s Flight Operations Manual. As a member of the Air Line Pilots Association Ground de-icing project, Steve has worked extensively with regulatory and industry representatives on many international icing projects. These representatives include all of the major industrialized international countries, and all of the major aircraft manufacturers of these countries.

Maintenance Experts

Douglas Clark attended the College of Aeronautics at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, for The FAA’s Airframe & Powerplant licenses, Avionics training and the Bachelor of Technology in Aircraft Maintenance. After Graduation in ’89, he obtained employment with an FAR 121 Carrier at a Maintenance Base located in the SFO bay area. Doug performed airframe maintenance and structural repairs to the aircraft fleet, which included Sheetmetal, composites, fiberglass and corrosion control.

In ’93 he switched to the Fuel Tank Team, and performed maintenance, leak detection, repair, bladder cell replacements, Negative Air Checks and troubleshooting for the aircraft fleet that was comprised of Boeing 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777, DC10, A320 & A319’s.

Having previously passed all four parts of the air carrier’s “Line Maintenance Inspection Exam” on the first attempt (October ’92), he took a transfer (June ’96) to work at the carrier’s Indianapolis Maintenance Center, and became an Aircraft Inspector shortly thereafter. Doug performed Preliminary and Post Maintenance Inspections for ‘C’ Check and HMV level aircraft visits, and support shop inspections. The primary focus of maintenance was for the Boeing 727,737,757,767, A320 & A319 fleets.

In April ’03, he transfered back to the SFO Maintenance Facility, as Jet Engine Shop Mechanic performing maintenance on the: CFM-56, P&W 2000, Air Force F-117, and the derivatives of the P&W 4000 engines. Doug passed the air carrier’s “Engine Shop Inspectors Exam” on the first attempt. He became an Inspector in August ’03, and performed Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Inspections on Airframe and Powerplant parts, Engine Piece Part Inspections, Final Engine Assembly, and Post Test Cell Inspections, for the FAR 121 Air Carrier, and Customer engines under their FAR 145 Certification.

In June ’07, Doug took a transfer to work as a Line Maintenance Mechanic, and he is currently Tow Qualified to transport the aircraft between the Maintenance Base and the Airport Terminal.

Along with these duties, he has been an active member of the mechanic’s union, as a shop steward, shop representative, Flight Safety Committee Chairman, and as the MSAP – Maintenance Safety Awareness Program’s Alternate Representative. Doug investigates and works to resolve Safety and Maintenance related issues between the FAA, the Air Carrier, and the union representing mechanics. He has also participated in the construction of an RV-7 General Aviation Experimental Aircraft.

Air Traffic Control Expert

Scott Hartwig is a retired Air Traffic Controller with more than 40 years of aviation experience. As the son of a Fixed Base Operator, he had the opportunity to experience aviation from the ground up, beginning with servicing airplanes and progressing through flying as a Flight Instructor, FAR Part 135 charter pilot, FAR Part 91 Corporate pilot and eventually retiring from Chicago Approach Control after a 27 year career with the Federal Aviation Administration.

During that career in the FAA, Scott performed ATC duties in 3 control towers and as an approach controller for the world’s busiest , O’hare airport, as well as Area/Operations Supervisor and Acting Manager positions, and is the recipient of numerous Outstanding Performance awards.

Scott currently ferries and instructs in WWII warbirds, and teaches part-time at a local aviation maintenance school. He, and his wife of 29 years, enjoy maintaining and flying their vintage 1952 Cessna 195, motorcycling and traveling.