Matt Vacanti

About Matt Vacanti

New product and technology manager with software, hardware and services background in air vehicle networking, autonomous systems, flight data analytics, air traffic management and safety critical products. Proven leader with a track record of executing complex international programs and optimizing customer focused processes for global product and operations teams. Key and designated senior person at aviation technology startup with multiple awards for simplification and innovation.In the first year of graduate school I had the opportunity to join a disruptive aviation startup company, Naverus, as a technical pilot to work on performance-based navigation at the world’s most challenging airports. Sensing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I left the graduate program to pursue a job that turned into one of the best aviation technologies adventures I could have imagined. Over the course of multiple engineering, technology, and leadership roles at Naverus and subsequently GE Aviation I travelled to six of the seven continents. I have stood on shoulders of giants in the field and personally contributed to commercial aviation safety and efficiency at airports including Cusco, Peru, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Lijiang, China through the design, certification, and implementation of aircraft automation-based instrument flight technologies and software.The pursuit of improved aviation safety and efficiency led me to a product management role where the software products I oversaw were responsible for delivering actionable insights from flight data recorder (FDR) or “black-box” data retrieved after each flight for airlines and regulatory agencies around the world. I was fortunate to participate in the launch of several new software products and features that enabled the web and mobile-based delivery of analytics to flight crew and airline management. Today, I am contributing to solving aviation’s next challenging problem: the proliferation, integration and use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), air mobility, and advanced autonomy in civil aviation.

Experience

1. Senior Engineering Manager - Defense and Systems New Technology Transition

   GE Aerospace

   Jun 2023 — Present · Grand Rapids, MI, US

   As a Senior Engineering Manager for the Emerging Technology team within avionics I am responsible for new technology introduction (NTI) pursuits in the areas of sensing, autonomy, artificial intelligence (AI)/ machine learning (ML), cybersecurity, and next generation processing. In collaboration with the broader NTI team and avionics organization I am focused on developing transition strategies for technology maturation into the new product introduction (NPI) lifecycle. Key responsibilities include providing people leadership support to a diverse technical team and supporting the business team in defining organizational growth.

Education

• University of North Dakota

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General

  2001 — 2004

• University of North Dakota

  Master of Science (M.S.), Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General

  2005 — 2009

• Baylor University - Hankamer School of Business

  Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

  2016 — 2018

Skills

• Process Improvement
• Airports
• Management
• Team Building
• Aerospace
• Piloting
• Business Process Improvement
• Project Planning
• Flights
• Arinc 424
• Transportation
• Aircraft
• Operations Management
• Commercial Aviation
• Avionics
• Leadership
• Flight Safety
• Human Factors
• Aviation
• Program Management
• Airlines