Keith Jones

Keith Jones

Technical Publications Manager

Gallup’s Clifton StrengthsFinder® Top 5 Strengths – Connectedness, Analytical, Individualization, Strategic, Positivity

Hometown – Jackson Center, Ohio

1. Takeoff or Landing?
   As a private pilot, I’d say landing. Taking off is fun, but landing takes skill and finesse, especially in a heavy crosswind. I like the challenge of a crosswind landing, crabbing into the wind on final. When you get it right and touch down smoothly, it is one of the most satisfying parts of flying.
2. Where would you travel right now if money were no issue?
   Now that private spaceflight is no longer science fiction, space would be my pick if money were no issue. After all, it is the final frontier. Live long and prosper! The vastness of space has always captured my imagination. I’m fascinated by all of it, from the training and discipline required of astronauts to the engineering required to escape Earth’s gravity and bring them home safely. It would be amazing to experience.On Earth? Probably the Monaco Grand Prix. My wife and I are Formula 1 fans, and Monaco has the added appeal of sitting on the Mediterranean coast.
3. Do you have a unique or special story regarding flying or aviation that you would like to share?
   One of my most memorable experiences happened during an early solo flight as a student pilot. I was practicing touch-and-goes in a 1960 Piper Tri-Pacer at a non-towered airport. I had heard a call from another aircraft reporting 20 miles out, but I didn’t hear another call. I had been announcing my position on each leg of the pattern, so I assumed he would enter the traffic pattern for the runway in use. He didn’t. We spotted each other approaching head-on from opposite ends of the runway on short final. We both executed a go-around, passing very close to one another. It was one of those aviation lessons you only need to learn once. That experience stayed with me through my early career in aircraft accident investigation and later during my time in aviation safety at the FAA, deepening my respect for clear communication, discipline, and attention to detail in aviation.