After graduation I was hired as a Dynamics Engineer at Bell Aircraft Corp.
in Niagara Falls NY. I did research on transonic flutter and vibration,
including the vibration analysis of the X-1A, X-2 and X-5 experimental
airplanes.
X-1A 
X-1B 
X-5
I continued graduate studies in Electrical Engineering and Non-Linear
Mathematics and Mechanics. I became a lead designer for the US Navy
All-weather Carrier Landing System (ACLS) and later transferred to Flight Test
to become Project Pilot for ACLS. In February 1955, I was accepted into Class
14, at the US Navy Test Pilot School, at Patuxent River MD.
While attending TPS, I was also Project Pilot and Field Test Manager for
the ACLS, now designated the AN/SPN-10.
I subsequently became Senior Experimental Test Pilot, and Chief of Flight
Operations responsible for Bell flight operations at Niagara Falls, Edwards
AFB, CA, Holloman AFB, NM, Griffiss AFB, NY, and the US Naval Air Test Center.
In 1957 I also became Technical Asst. to the Vice President of Engineering.
The main reason for this was that I was a very good presenter and public
speaker and "briefings" were a main element in presenting programs
to the government. In addition to my Flight Test responsibilities I
became the company's "main" presenter.
In late 1957 Bell re-organized. I became Sales and Contracts Manager of the
Research Division responsible for Sales, Contract Administration, Public
Relations, Advertising and Product Planning, and Director of the Research
Laboratories. I stopped test flying at that time.
In 1958 the company re-organized again and I was given the same
responsibilities for the Special Weapons Division but no longer responsible
for the Laboratories.
Bell was a true pioneer in US
aviation. They built the 1st tri-cycle gear airplane, the 1st plane to
fire a canon thru the propeller hub, the 1st jet (YP-59), the 1st rocket plane
(X-1), the 1st VTOL, the 1st variable sweep wing (X-5), as well as numerous
1st's in their helicopter and ground effect vehicles. There was a saying in
the industry, "Bell has more first's and fewer second's than anyone else
in the industry".
1st VTOL 
Kingcobra (P63)
Other airplanes flown during this
period.
P80 
F-86 
F-89
F-3D 
F-9F 
B-17
B-29 
B-50 
T-28
F8F
