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Who I Am
I was just named as the new Facility Manager at the Low-Turbulence Pressure Tunnel (LTPT) (April 1998). Prior to becoming a Facility Manager, I was a Test Engineer at the 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel Facility. As a test engineer, I was involve in testing various types of airplanes, such as supersonic transports, missiles, aerospace planes, exhaust stacks and parachutes. I have worked at NASA Langley Research Center for 18 years (1980-present).

My Career Path
I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace and Ocean Engineering from Virginia Tech. In my first seven years at NASA Langley, I did research on STOVL performance of Advanced Fighter Designs. I co-authored over 10 NASA reports on this subject. Next, I became the Operations Engineer in 1988 and later Facility Manager for the 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel. As a Facility Manager, I coordinated equipment and personnel for every test in the 14-by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel.

What I Like About My Job
I get to work with many interesting and wonderful people. While this sounds like a catchy phrase, I get to work on tomorrow's airplanes today. It's a thrill to work on future airplanes like the Joint Strike Fighter and the Supersonic Transport, X-33, and X-34 which will fly sometime after the year 2000.

When I Was A Kid
Ever since I was a boy, I have always been interested in airplanes and spacecraft. I was always fascinated with how planes could get off the ground and stay up in the air. I read any book I could get on airplane, spacecraft and astronomy. When I was in high school, I took a lot of math and science classes to help prepare myself to be an aerospace engineer. While in high school, I had the opportunity to work at NASA Langley Research Center for two summers in a row. This was a wonderful experience and helped me to further my pursuit in engineering.

Personal
In my spare time, I volunteer once a month as a tour guide at the Virginia Air and Space Center. In addition, I am also a member of the Speakers Bureau at NASA Langley. As a member of the Speakers Bureau, I have spoken about aerospace subjects to audiences from North Carolina to Illinois and ages from pre-school to adult groups. Recently, my work load prevents me from being an active member. After work, I enjoy playing volleyball and softball.

Frank Quinto, a test engineer at NASA Langley Research Center, is standing next to a generic supersonic fighter model that was tested in the 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel. The model was tested for takeoff and landing performance.