Bio
Dr. Brandt earned his Doctorate in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1988. He served on active duty in the USAF as a fighter pilot and U.S. Air Force Academy associate professor for 21 years. His background includes pilot and instructor experience in the F-106, F-4E and G, T-37, T-38, and T-41 aircraft. After retirement from active duty, he has served as a civilian professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he also continues to fly T-41 type aircraft.
Dr. Brandt is the discipline director for aircraft and jet engine design in the Department of Aeronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy and teaches courses in aircraft design, performance, stability, control, and flight testing. His current research interests include a variety of topics in aircraft flight mechanics and developmental testing. He has served as the principal investigator on numerous wind tunnel studies for the Air Force and DoD. His cadet design teams have provided USAF and DoD with design studies on multi-role fighter (MRF), long-range strike (LRS), and a host of small- and micro- UAS programs. In addition to design studies and wind tunnel testing for the OSD/DOT&E 5th-Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) development program, he is currently leading development of a design concept for a robot wingman for the F-22.
Education
PhD, Aeronautical Engineering, Univ. of Illinois (1988)
M.S., Aerospace Engineering, Iowa State Univ. (1976)
B.S., Aerospace Engineering, Iowa State Univ. (1975)
Professional Experience
1982-present, FAA-certified Airframe Mechanic and Repairman
1977-present, U.S. Air Force Academy Instructor, Instructor Pilot and Flight Evaluator (3400 hours in T-37, T-38, T-33, F-106, and F-4 jet aircraft plus T-41 piston-engine aircraft)
1975-present, Designed, built, flight tested, maintained and operated all-aluminum two-place piston-powered experimental aircraft
1974-present, FAA Instrument-rated Commercial Pilot
2011-present, FAA Certified Flight Instructor and Instrument Instructor
Design consultant to OSD/DOT&E and Defense Science Board for design studies and configuration development of a full-scale 5th-Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) now in prototype production for first flight in 2019. Led U.S. Air Force Academy team which developed the preferred system configuration.
Design consultant to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for design studies and configuration development of a robot wingman for the F-22. Led U.S. Air Force Academy, design team.
Design consultant to DARPA for design studies and configuration development of a micro-sensorcraft glider to be deployed from canisters in thousands to characterize a battle space with contact sensors and onboard signaling systems.
Design consultant to 5D Systems team for proposal to DARPA for BAA-13-19 VTOL X-plane. Led USAFA design team.
Design consultant and wind tunnel research team leader for development of a rocket-based combined cycle access to space hypersonic vehicle for ASTROX Corporation.
Design consultant to AFRL Munitions Directorate, UAV Battle Lab, Naval Research Lab, and the Force Protection Battle Lab for design, construction, and testing of prototype small UAVs capable of being carried and deployed from a conventional infantry soldier’s backpack, a sonobuoy canister, the AC-130 common launch tube, and other carrier aircraft.
Design consultant to AFRL Air Vehicles Directorate for design studies on strike and surveillance UAVs and the Long-Range Strike Bomber
Design consultant to U.S. Air Force Academy UAS program and BOSH Technologies for design, wind tunnel testing, construction, and flight testing of a research and resources monitoring UAV for U.S. Air Force Academy
Honors & Awards
The William H. Heiser Award for USAFA Outstanding Senior Faculty Educator 2015
Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Technology Award at the 14th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning 2003
Tau Beta Pi Colorado Zeta Outstanding Instructor Award 2000
Numerous military outstanding achievement awards
Research and Scholarly Interests
Aircraft flight mechanics and developmental testing. Principal investigator on numerous wind tunnel studies for the Air Force and DoD. Lead cadet design teams providing USAF and DoD with design studies on multi-role fighter (MRF), long-range strike (LRS), and small- and micro- UAS programs. Design studies and wind tunnel testing for the OSD/DOT&E 5th-Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) development program and design studies for a robot wingman for the F-22.
Publications
Mehdi Ghoreyshi, Adam Jirasek, Steven Brandt, Ryan Osteroos, Russell Cummings, 50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, 2012, 10.2514/6.2012-393
Chase Guarnaccio, Matthew Thompson, Martiqua Post, Steven Brandt, “Investigation of Rocket Based Combined Cycle Design Modifications to Improve Cmo and Cm at Subsonic Speeds,” AIAA Paper 2012-2894, 30th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, June 2012.
Steven Brandt, The 406th Fighter Group in World War II, First Edition, True History Books, Colorado Springs, CO, August 2012.
Steven Brandt, Martiqua Post, David Hall, Fred Gilliam, Timothy Jung, and Thomas Yechout, “The Value of Semi-Empirical Analysis Models in Aircraft Design,” AIAA Paper 2015-2486, 16th AIAA Aviation Forum, Dallas, TX, June 2015.
Steven Brandt, Randall Stiles, John Bertin, and Ray Whitford, Introduction to Aeronautics: A Design Perspective, Third Edition, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Education Series, Reston, VA, July 2015.
Martiqua Post, Steven Brandt, and D. Neal Barlow, Introduction to Engineering: A Project-Based Experience in Engineering Methods, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Education Series, Reston, VA, July 2017.
Steven Brandt, chapter titled “Small UAV Design Development and Sizing” in Kimon P. Valavanis and George J Vachtsevanos, (Eds.) Handbook of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Second Edition, Springer Reference, September 2017.