Vero Beach, Fla., Dec. 07, 2011 – Piper Aircraft Inc. has named seasoned aerospace executives to head its new 
Piper Aircraft – Services business unit dedicated to performing manufacturing, engineering and technical services for other companies. Piper Aircraft – Manufacturing Services and Piper Aircraft – Engineering Services will provide professional services to companies primarily involved in the aerospace sector.
Piper Aircraft Services – Manufacturing
Piper appointed Michael Dow as director and general manager of Manufacturing Services. His 30-year aviation background includes leadership roles for military and commercial products including weapons systems, tactical fighters, helicopters, remotely piloted aircraft and commercial space launch vehicles along with development of new-type commercial aircraft for international certification and production.
Piper Aircraft Services – Engineering
Piper named Albert "Jack" Mill director and general manager of Engineering Services. Also a 30-year aerospace veteran, Mill’s experience includes senior roles in product development and certification programs for Piper, in addition to design roles with Cessna Aircraft, Martin Marietta and Northrup Grumman. Both Dow and Mill report to Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott.
"Customers of Piper’s new entrepreneurial business units will benefit from the successful, varied and extensive aerospace experiences of these two business unit executives," said Caldecott. "We are targeting other airframe manufacturers, component and aftermarket providers to supply those companies with manufacturing, engineering and technical uplift."
Piper’s new business unit will provide a suite of proprietary services to include :
Aircraft certification and STCs
Composite parts
Computer-aided design
Conceptual design
Electrical harnesses
Engineering support
Flight sciences
Interiors and Upholstery
Metal forming and fabrication
Precision machining
Program management
Rapid Prototyping
Structural analysis
Structural assemblies
Structural testing
Michael Dow
Prior to joining Piper earlier this year, Dow was most recently director of Manufacturing Engineering & Tooling at Aurora Flight Sciences. Prior to that, he worked for 11 years at Textron Bell Helicopter, where he held leadership positions of increasing responsibility in Manufacturing Engineering and Operations Management for new aircraft development and certification programs. He studied mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University and the University of Houston, and he is a certified project manager and a Six Sigma Green Belt for Lean Manufacturing.
Albert "Jack" Mill
Mill’s career includes work on the Cessna Citation, Northrup Grumman E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System and, most recently, various Piper models. Since joining Piper in 1985 he held positions of increasing responsibility in Design, Powerplant & Mechanical Systems, Engineering, and FAA Organization Designation Authorization. He obtained a bachelor of science in engineering from the University of Central Florida and is an FAA Engineering Authorized Representative, a Certified Flight Instructor and a Commercial Pilot with instrument rating in single and multi-engine aircraft.
