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KBRwyle's Greg "Squid" Williams was recently named U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) Instructor of the Year by U.S. Naval Test Wing Atlantic. Williams was recognized at an award luncheon at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland on January 31st.  Williams, a KBRwyle test pilot instructor, won this annual award for his role in training the U.S. and Allied nations' top pilots, flight officers, and engineers at the test pilot school.

Capt. Brett Pierson, Commander, Naval Test Wing Atlantic, presents KBRwyle test pilot instructor Greg "Squid" Williams the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Instructor of the Year award at a luncheon at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland Jan 31. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy.

"His outstanding efforts had a positive and direct impact on the school's mission to produce the world's preeminent test pilots, flight officers and test engineers," said Capt. Brett Pierson, Commander, Naval Test Wing Atlantic.

A former U.S. Air Force experimental test navigator and electronic warfare officer, Williams belongs to KBRwyle's flight test team, which is one of the world's largest independent flight test organizations. He has been a USNTPS instructor since 2011, serving as an airborne systems flight instructor, aircraft monitor, and exercise monitor.

U.S. Naval Test Wing Atlantic names KBRwyle test pilot instructor Greg "Squid" Williams the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Instructor of the Year. As the winner of this award, Williams' name is now displayed on an AV-8B Harrier static display aircraft at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Williams received this award for his role in training the U.S. and Allied nations' top pilots, flight officers, and engineers at the test pilot school. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy.

"It is satisfying to know that I am teaching critical thinking skills to the future leaders of naval aviation as well as our joint-service and international partners," said Williams. "I like teaching airborne systems flight test techniques to TPS students since these future testers have a very important job to get the best product to the warfighter as quickly as possible."As an exercise and aircraft monitor for the Airborne Systems Training and Research Support II aircraft, Williams oversaw the safe execution of 133 sorties totaling more than 350 mishap free flight hours for eight different USNTPS flight exercises in 2016.

U.S. Naval Test Wing Atlantic recognized KBRwyle test pilot instructor Greg "Squid" Williams (far left) as the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School Instructor of the Year. From left to right, NTWL also recognized Flight Test Engineer of the Year Trevor Strand, Test Naval Flight Officer of the Year Lt. Chris Wells, Test Pilot of the Year, Lt. Cmdr. Will Nuse; Maintenance Officer of the Year Lt. Jaime Castro; and Capt. Brett Pierson, Commander, Naval Test Wing Atlantic. Missing from the photo is Maintenance Chief Petty Officer of the Year Chief Freddie Rivera-Lopez. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy.

Williams also assisted in integrating unmanned airborne systems into new flight exercises for USNTPS curriculum. According to Pierson, Williams' leadership of this effort resulted in significantly reduced operating costs and exposed students to UAS flight test techniques, ensuring USNTPS remains at the forefront of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) flight test development.

KBRwyle's flight operations team has more than 50 years of flight test support experience gained through partnership with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, NASA and other government and commercial customers.