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October 27, 2006
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“It took me 28 years to get the job I wanted,” says Vicki Johnson, senior engineering specialist at Cessna. “But I’m doing it a lot better now than I would have then because of all the learning opportunities I’ve had on my journey.”
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Vicki Johnson, a senior engineering specialist at Cessna, has always loved flying and has spent most of her airborne time in Cessna aircraft. So it was natural that she’d end up at Cessna after many years of government and academic experience. “It took me 28 years to get the job I wanted,” says Vicki. “But I’m doing it a lot better now than I would have then because of all the learning opportunities I’ve had on my journey.”
The first woman ever to receive a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas, Vicki has worked with NASA and the National Research Council, was a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and, immediately before joining Cessna in 2004, was responsible for Aerial Refueling Systems on the Boeing 767 Tanker Program.
I was in Civil Air Patrol while in junior high and high school, and my first airplane ride was in a Missouri Wing Cessna 172 when I was 13. My next ride was my first lesson. My first solo flight and my automobile driver’s test were both scheduled for my 16th birthday. I decided not to do the solo flight if I failed the driver’s test because while failing a driver’s test isn’t so bad, failing a solo flight involves damage to the airplane and potentially the pilot.
I failed my driver’s test on a technicality (I made a right turn on red at an intersection marked “no right turn on red” but figured I wouldn’t encounter that in the air) so I made the solo flight anyway.
My interest in airplanes pointed me toward aerospace engineering – my goal was to become an aerospace engineer and go to work for Cessna.
I have really enjoyed the (usually) solid plans and (generally) committed resources/non-paper products of the private sector. Textron uses automated systems like PMP, PeopleSoft, and Concur, activities that took place on paper at my other employers.
Cessna culture relative to employees is much like most of the public sector organizations in which I worked with low overtime, concern for people and families, and reasonable plans that generally prevent the kind of crises that can burn people out.
I have especially appreciated the financial rewards for performance compared to public sector organizations.
Hometown: Liberty, Missouri
Education: B.S., Aerospace Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla; M.S., Flight Sciences, George Washington University; Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, University of Kansas; MBA in progress, University of Phoenix.
Last book read: Serious book “Organizational Behavior: Emerging Realities for the Workplace Revolution” by McShane & VonGlinow for MBA; fun book “Nightfall” by Nelson DeMille.
Favorite movie: Top Gun because one of my Civil Air Patrol colleagues was an extra in it while he was at Top Gun school.
Pastimes/hobbies: Working on my MBA, church lay leader, Wichita Section Society of Women Engineers Vice President, Wichita Section American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Program Chair, keeping my lawn and lawn-mowing equipment maintained, reading, and listening to jazz/new age music.
Family & pets: My parents are in Sun City West, Arizona, and I have a sister and brother-in-law in the chemical industry in Houston, Texas. My cat Sweet Pea is the ruler of our house.
A stray fact of interest: When my 5th grade Math teacher said that mathematicians work with their brains and not their bodies, I said, “Sign me up!”
One sentence philosophy or key to success: Maintain high ethical and performance standards along with a sense of humor and a genuine ability to say “Thank You.” |
They did hope that I could convince Cessna that adding receptacles for aerial refueling to our products would be a good idea!
I split my time between technology scouting/representing Cessna to other organizations and a hardware/software development program for which I am the project leader. I represent Cessna on the University of Kansas Aerospace Engineering Industrial Advisory Board, watch what is happening with new technologies, and participate in the formulation of NASA aeronautics plans and potential Cessna participation in those plans.
My Ph.D. graduation, because my parents were able to attend; implementing Technical Performance Metrics at Cessna so decisions can be made earlier about the viability of conducting the project; running Student Success Programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where we reduced freshmen attrition from about 35% to 18%; making a successful contribution to the NASA Federal Laboratory Review; the network of people I have cultivated and maintained over my career; and good “stick” skills that allowed me to successfully fly the BA609 around the simulator pattern at this year’s Textron Technology Forum and even stow the KC-135 boom during a flight.
For the near term, I’d like to see my current project wind up successfully fielded on at least one of our aircraft, finish my MBA (projected for August 2007), and go through Green Belt and Functional Black Belt training. Over the longer term, I’d like the opportunity to get back into formal management and to make a difference at higher levels within the organization.
I believe Cessna has a bright future. The contemplated new products should maintain our current customer base and attract new ones. Globalization is opening new markets that should help maintain balance when US markets are down. Sticking to our core competencies, while continuing to improve our processes and our products, will be a winning strategy for the future.
It takes dedication and hard work to earn a degree in Aerospace Engineering. The industry is cyclic, making it necessary to be flexible and persistent in pursuing opportunities. The reward (both sense of accomplishment and income) makes it a great way to make a life. I would encourage more women to consider careers in engineering. I stay active with the University of Kansas and hope I can be a role model and encourage everyone (but especially women) to persist in getting their degrees and getting into the world of work as an Aerospace Engineer.
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