Bernardo Malfitano works at Boeing
Commercial Airplanes - specifically, at the Product Strategy &
Future Airplane Development organization, in the Airplane Configuration
& Integration group. He performs analyses, studies, and sometimes
tests, on proposed features and configurations for future airplanes. The
results determine the optimal shapes, materials, locations, and
manufacturing processes for new airplane parts, so as to minimize drag,
weight, cost, and risk.
In short; he's an airplane designer.
For
the previous eleven years, Bernardo worked as a structures engineer /
researcher, specializing in fatigue testing, analysis models, and
maintenance planning. Bernardo is
one of Boeing's experts on "airplane
aging" issues, and has taught hundreds of Boeing engineers how to do
fatigue analysis and how to plan airplane maintenance: in other words,
how to design parts that last, and how to catch any form of
deterioration before it impacts the safety of flight. Bernardo designed,
ran, and documented fatigue tests on new parts for the 787‐9, 767
Tanker, 737MAX, and 777X while those airplanes were being designed, and
on technologies and materials that have not yet been implemented on
commercial airplane structure, such as next‐generation composites and
new kinds of 3D‐printed titanium.
Bernardo earned a Bachelor of
Science degree from Stanford University and a Master of Science degree
from Columbia University, both in Mechanical Engineering. Most of his
academic career focused on aerodynamics and propulsion: He has spent
many hours designing and running experiments in the wind tunnel and in
the engines lab. He also has academic and professional experience
designing and testing control systems for UAVs and spacecraft.
In
his spare time, Bernardo is a private pilot, co‐owns an RV‐6 (which he
has flown to EAA Oshkosh multiple times) and enjoys flying aerobatics.
He also occasionally works as an aviation journalist, and has been
interviewed on TV shows as an aeronautics expert. Bernardo has built and
flown all kinds of model aircraft including rockets, gliders,
quadcopters, and flying wings.
Bernardo is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He lives in Seattle.