Seminars - Paul T. Glessner, M.S.

The Basics & Secrets of Vehicle Aerodynamics
Paul T. Glessner, M.S.
President & Founder, Vehicle Aerodynamics Consultants, Inc.

Abstract
Paul T. Glessner, M.S., aerospace industry aerodynamicist and automotive racing enthusiast, will host a technical seminar specifically designed for your event. Mr. Glessner's seminar covers the basics of lift, drag, airfoil design, windtunnel concepts, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), flow visualization and a variety of aerodynamic devices used in both commercial and racing car design. His 17 year aerospace background combined with stints with Roger Penske, Don Prudhomme, Dale Armstrong, NHRA, Bob Leitzinger, Vector Aeromotive, the Reno Air Racer - Rare Bear (world's fasted piston powered airplane) and as an instructor of 'Vehicle Aerodynamics' at Pasadena's renowned Art Center College of Design should prove to be both interesting, as well as extremely informative. This seminar is intended to be a great foundation for the amateur and refresher for the technically minded auto enthusiast.

Check out Paul's website: http://www.aeroseminars.com

Restrictions
None, however, open to travel to any location but outside factors may restrict the days of travel and thus event date on a weekly basis.

Equipment
Pentium IV laptop or desktop with CD/DVD, USB and sound capability, screen, LCD projector for use with laptop/Powerpoint.
Whiteboard with large tip markers/eraser (if no whiteboard, preferred because of a lot of drawing, would need overhead projector)
Wireless clip-on microphone is desired

Biography
Paul T. Glessner, M.S. has worked as an aerospace engineer in varying capacities for Boeing-Vertol, Grumman Aerospace, Lockheed - Burbank, McDonnell-Douglas now Boeing on such projects as the CH-46/47, F-14, Black projects, S-3, P-3, accident investigations, High Speed Civil Transport, B-717 and the Space Shuttle's aerodynamics in such disciplines as Stability, Control and Flying Qualities besides Aerodynamics and Flight Controls. Paul not only has 300 hours jumpseating in airliners' cockpits pre-9/11, he also flew with the Chief Pilot of British Airways on the Concorde in the cockpit from New York to London and back. He has been flying since he was 16 years old holding an FAA Commercial License with Instrument and Multi-engine Land ratings. Paul completed a two and a half year stint at the end of 2004 as a Principal Engineer-Specialist overseeing the handling qualities of the now operational-USAF's number one program, the F-22A fighter plane. He was Chief Aerodynamicist at XCOR Aerospace for two years designing a spaceplane for tourism after working at the F-22A CTF and is now consulting to the aerospace and automotive worlds per his company, Vehicle Aerodynamics Consultants, Inc.

Regarding cars, Mark Donohue was Paul's idol growing up in the late 60's; one year after Mark won the Indy 500, he presented Paul with his Team Penske/Sunoco uniform. It now hangs in the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California. Upon learning of Mark's death following the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix's practice, he was able to serve his funeral as an altar boy. It was from then on that he corresponded with Roger Penske. Roger called Paul at Penn State University to learn more about Paul's design. Roger Penske and Derrick Walker raced the wing design Paul initiated in 1981 for both the cars Roger fielded in the 1983 Indy 500; the cars placed second and third. Paul was 22 y.o. Later that year he oversaw two colleagues wind tunnel test Bob Leitzinger's Camel GTU 280ZX and found drag and downforce concepts that helped Bob win two national championships the following years. In the late 90's Don Prudhomme, Dale Armstrong and NHRA extended the fun factor immensely as Paul interfaced with the teams both personally to increase speed and reduce drag and on behalf of the sanctioning body for the benefit of drivers' safety and rules changes. Paul felt he reached a level of competence after having taught vehicle aerodynamics at one of the U.S.'s top three art center's transportation department - Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Paul is active in SAE International. He was appointed to the Aerodynamics Committee in 1989 and has been a consistent member since. Additionally, Paul has actively spoken to universities and industry since 2003 through the SAE Sections Speaker Bureau and the Industrial Lecture programs, respectively, and instructs a one-day SAE Professional Development seminar on the "Fundamentals of Aerodynamics Applied to Race Cars." Most recently, he co-chaired two sessions on CFD Applied to Ground Vehicles at AEROTECH, Los Angeles 2007. Paul had been the Planning Chairman for SAE's AEROTECH meetings in 1991 and 1992 and was the Air & Space Division Vice Chairman of the Southern California Section in 1992.