Thomas A. Morgenfeld is a 1965 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1967. He had two fleet tours flying the F-8 Crusader, one in Fighter Squadron SIXTY-TWO and one in Fighter Squadron ONE-NINETY-ONE. There he flew more than 120 combat missions and amassed more than 500 carrier landings. Between the two tours he attended the United States Naval Postgraduate School where he earned his M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering. In 1975 he attended the Empire Test Pilots' School in England, winning the McKenna Trophy as top student in his class. In 1976 Mr. Morgenfeld was ordered to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron FOUR where he participated in several classified test programs in addition to serving as the F-18 Project Pilot. In 1979 Mr. Morgenfeld went on to USAF exchange duty with the 4477th Test and Evaluation Flight. While there he became the first Naval Aviator to qualify as an Air Force Aggressor pilot.
Mr. Morgenfeld joined Lockheed in December 1979 as an Experimental Test Pilot in the world famous Skunk Works. There he was assigned to the F-117 program where he has flown almost 1,300 hours in testing that radical aircraft. In 1989 Mr. Morgenfeld went on to the Advanced Tactical Fighter program where he was primarily responsible for flying the second YF-22A prototype. After Lockheed won that competition, he was named Chief Test Pilot for the YF-22A follow-on test program. In 1991 he was named Chief Test Pilot for the Skunk Works and in 1999 was promoted to Director of Flight Operations as well. He was the Chief Test Pilot on the Joint Strike Fighter program where he performed the first flight on the X-35 and tested all three versions of the airplane. He also served as an Engineering Technical Fellow of the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. until his retirement in 2004.
Mr. Morgenfeld, a retired Navy Captain, is a Fellow and past President of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. He is a member of two Collier Trophy winning teams and has been inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.
Mr. Morgenfeld joined Lockheed in December 1979 as an Experimental Test Pilot in the world famous Skunk Works. There he was assigned to the F-117 program where he has flown almost 1,300 hours in testing that radical aircraft. In 1989 Mr. Morgenfeld went on to the Advanced Tactical Fighter program where he was primarily responsible for flying the second YF-22A prototype. After Lockheed won that competition, he was named Chief Test Pilot for the YF-22A follow-on test program. In 1991 he was named Chief Test Pilot for the Skunk Works and in 1999 was promoted to Director of Flight Operations as well. He was the Chief Test Pilot on the Joint Strike Fighter program where he performed the first flight on the X-35 and tested all three versions of the airplane. He also served as an Engineering Technical Fellow of the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. until his retirement in 2004.
Mr. Morgenfeld, a retired Navy Captain, is a Fellow and past President of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. He is a member of two Collier Trophy winning teams and has been inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor.
