World Helicopter Day: Lessons from a Service Engineer

Robert was on location with his family at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum to share lessons from his career journey and passion for aerospace in a video interview. The interview was featured in an episode of the Smithsonian’s “My Path” series, which chronicles the careers of women and men working in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

After discovering his love for aviation at a young age, Robert went from building balsa wood aircraft as a child to joining the U.S. Army – where he served as a flight mechanic on the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk – to eventually working at Safran, where he helps to keep helicopters flying.

For Robert, helicopters are a family affair. When his wife was a tourism and air medical pilot, she flew Safran Helicopter Engines-powered helicopters while pregnant up to eight months (twice). As a result, both of his sons already have a few hundred hours of Arriel engine time under their belts!

Learn more about his journey in the Q&A and video, below.

What has been your career path?

I grew up on a farm in Texas and discovered my love for aircraft at an early age. As a child, I built balsa wood free-flight aircraft, which I loved to fly. Following in my grandfather’s footsteps, I joined the U.S. Army and furthered my passion for aerospace as a UH-60 helicopter crew chief.

After leaving the military, I pursued my A&P (Airframe and Powerplant) license and began working on helicopters in the tourism industry. I also earned my Inspection Authorization and Aviation Degree. While working as a maintenance manager for a large fleet, I was fortunate to become a launch customer for the Arriel 2D engine installed on the Airbus H125 helicopter. I worked alongside the Safran service engineering team. I really enjoyed working with this team and saw how much they enjoyed their work. This interaction with Safran Helicopter Engines was a catalyst for joining the company and sharing that passion of supporting our customers.

What does your role entail?

Our role is to support customers flying with Safran Helicopter Engines and bridge the technical gap with our Safran teams. This involves monitoring and improving product/engine maintainability, as well as performing investigations on engine removals and unique in-the-field issues.

How important is teamwork?

There is an old German proverb that says: “One hand washes the other.” We are where we are as a society because of teamwork. It’s so important to share knowledge and skills with our new and old team members to continue growth. Don’t be intimidated and withhold your knowledge or path to success. I have never regretted sharing all that I know to help someone be their best. One day, someone will do the same for you, and you’ll cherish it.

Can you provide an example that illustrates the power of teamwork in your role?

Our success is the result of the teamwork we have in continuous motion. From the field representative working with the customer to sharing knowledge with our global technical teams, we work hard to ensure that we achieve the best solutions. This team effort includes site visits, presentations, investigations into issues, and recommendations to help our customers be successful. It’s a great feeling seeing this all come together in resolution.

What do you like about working at Safran Helicopter Engines?

I really enjoy the continuous challenge and opportunities to grow. Safran Helicopter Engines does an excellent job at showing every team member the importance of what they do. We see a lot of appreciation and recognition from our leadership.

What is the biggest challenge of working with helicopters?

There’s a lot of moving parts and human factors. In my 26 years of doing this, there has never been a dull moment, and I still learn and see new things every day.

Tell us an interesting fact about helicopters.

The word "helicopter" was patented by French Inventor Gustave Ponton d'Amécourt in 1861. The word is a combination of ancient Greek helikos (spiral or whirl) and pteron (wing).

What does it personally mean to you to support these helicopters?

I’m lucky to do what I love for a living. It’s really not a job, but a passion. Unfortunately, our children have to hear about helicopters and airplanes all the time. They sometimes complain, but they understand; they understand the aim in life is to find something you love and get paid to do it.