Transportation company Skyryse announced the appointment of Bill Warlick as Head of Flight Test Operations. Warlick will oversee the planning, coordinating and monitoring of Skyryse’s aircraft and flight test operations.
Skyryse’s mission is to use its flagship technology, FlightOS, to transform safety in the general aviation segment for all pilots. After the complex controls in a cockpit are removed, FlightOS can use fly-by-wire hardware and software that will automate most actions. This will increase interoperability across aircraft and keep pilots within safe flight envelopes to fly without worry. This technology will remove many of the complexities of flying and is designed to safely manage the aircraft through emergencies and most weather conditions.
Warlick comes to Skyryse from Delta Airlines and was a U.S. Navy test pilot for over a decade.
“Bill’s history and expertise as both a commercial and military pilot will be invaluable as we expand our aircraft testing program to bring FlightOS to market across more aircraft types,” CEO and founder Dr. Mark Gordon said. “Bill will help us deliver our mission of making commercial aviation-level safety accessible to the general aviation market”.
When Warlick was in the U.S. Navy, he served as Naval Aviator, Test Pilot and squadron Commanding Officer. He also served as a Technical Director for a Navy Flight Test Squadron and taught at the United States Naval Test Pilot School for 12 years following his graduation from the same institution with an M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering.
“I’m excited to work alongside Skyryse’s industry veterans and innovators to make flight simpler and safer, in an effort to enhance general aviation safety,” Warlick said. “Operating different types of aircraft involves a substantial learning curve, so Skyryse’s interoperable technology will be a game changer to give seasoned and new pilots more flexibility in how they navigate the skies.”
Skyryse has tripled its headcount in the last year, hiring its first CFO and appointing a new COO and VP of Product and Marketing. Skyryse has secured partnerships with five of the world’s largest fixed-wing and rotorcraft original equipment manufacturers. Together these partners collectively produce over half of the world’s new general aviation aircraft.
