James Diehl

James Diehl has worked continuously in aviation and communications since completing training as an engineer. Working first in operations, Diehl then moved on to engineering and management positions upon leaving active naval service. Diehl’s wide variety of aviation assignments, both as support contract employee for the FAA and directly for industry, has provided him with broad experience. During the period from 1990 to 1998, Diehl engaged in the private practice of law.

Education

• B.S. Electrical Engineering, George Washington University, Washington, DC
• J.D. University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore, MD
• Diploma with distinction, United States Naval War College, Newport, RI
• Certificate in Aviation Technology, University of DC, Washington, DC

Professional Experience

2010–present System Engineer, CNA Since joining CNA in February, Diehl has provided engineering support to applied research projects. These include Next Gen projects for the Air Traffic Organization and the FAA and require a comprehensive knowledge of the FAA’s and ATO’s missions, organizations, people, and how they operate.

1998-2010 Systems Engineer, Computer Technology Associates, Inc. Diehl supported the TRW System Engineering and Technical Assistance Contract and the Northrop Grumman Technical Assistance Contract (TAC) and TAC2 contract. He led a team of engineers to complete verification and validation of Year 2000 (Y2K) assessment to determine computer code adequacy during century date changeovers and identified remedial actions needed in FAA’s air traffic systems. Diehl supported the flight services support system including Model 1 Full Capacity and the OASIS system. He was systems engineer for the Departure Spacing Program, an air traffic system that schedules all departures in the delay-critical New York and Philadelphia areas.

1983–1990 Technical Staff Member, The MITRE Corporation Diehl contributed to early air-ground data link development activity then planned for the Mode S data link. This included defining communications events and message structures for a wide range of planned air ground messages. As a member of airport capacity planning team, Diehl supported simulation and analysis work to evaluate the impact of planned changes on capacity and delay at the nation’s busiest airports. As a member of the FAA facility consolidation team, Diehl participated in the exploration and evaluation of a number of consolidation scenarios.

1982–1983 Systems and Applied Sciences Corporation Diehl led the project team that produced that A-Level System specification for the FAA’s Advanced Automation System. This involved combining the concept views of a number of system subject matter experts across different areas to produce a consistent system specification. The AAS was the then largest automation acquisition by the FAA.

1976–1980 Communications Engineer, Air Transport Association of America Diehl provided leadership and coordination in airline industry and industry - government interoperation initiatives. This included development of the ATA-IATA High Level Data Link Control protocol used worldwide by the airline industry, representing the industry in expansion of the National Airspace Digital Interchange Network, developing airline to FAA computer to computer flight plan filing architecture, and serving as the initial airline industry staff participant in the FAA Central Flow Control Facility which later became the Traffic Flow Management System.

1972–1976 Project Engineer, ARINC Research Corporation Diehl led research for the FAA to evaluate flight deck air-ground data link input output devices in airline flight simulators using airline flight crews. Diehl coordinated installation of devices in the airline simulators, selected, trained, briefed, and debriefed the airline flight crews, wrote the simulated trip scenarios including all air ground communications, and conducted the flights. He gathered data on performance, technical response, user preference and wrote a report for the FAA, briefing its senior engineering manager. Diehl participated in evaluation of the Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems.