LEADING WITH EXCELLENCE

Leadership & Team Development

Our team of experts provide guidance, mentoring and technical leadership for young, less-experienced, or stretched engineering groups.

Leadership Team

Brian Barker
President and CEO

Brian leads the Hummingbird Aero organization with more than 35 years of aerospace systems development experience. 

Previous to Hummingbird, Brian was employed with Moog Aircraft Group, and focused in the development of advanced fly-by-wire flight controls for military and commercial aircraft.  Brian played an  instrumental role in the development of early Electrohydrostatic actuation technology and demonstrators leading to their selection and development on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. 

In 1998, Brian founded the hydraulic pump and motor product line for Moog dedicated to providing specialized hydraulic power components for internal actuation needs.   These products have been used on flight control actuation systems for the F-18E/F, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Airbus A400M and A350 aircraft.  

Brian started his career as a designer and developer of hydraulic pumps and motors for both Garrett Fluid Systems and Abex Aerospace, and developed hydraulic power transfer units for both the Airbus A320 and Boeing C-17 aircraft.  Brian has served as an executive engineering leader for large engineering organizations at Goodrich Engine Controls and Northrop Grumman Inertial Navigation Systems, supporting the development of complex control systems per ARP 4754. He is experienced in the development of safety critical electronics and software per DO-178/254.  

Since 2011, Brian has served as Chairman for the SAE A-6B2 International Panel for Electrohydrostatic Actuation.  Brian holds three patents for hydraulic systems technology.

David Manzanares
Vice President of Engineering and COO

David leads Engineering Services and Operations at Hummingbird Aero, and also serves as Vice President & GM, EM Systems Business Area. David most recently served as Vice President of Engineering for UmbraGroup, based in Foligno, Italy, where he was responsible for the integration and coordination of eight companies in Italy, Germany and United States, focused on EM actuation products.  
 
Prior, David spent over 20 years with Moog in engineering design and management where he led the integrated product teams responsible for the B787 Horizontal Stabilizer Trim Actuator (HSTA) and also the B787 EM Spoiler Actuator, the first application of an EM actuator on a primary flight control surface for a large commercial transport.  David currently serves as secretary for the SAE A-6 panel for electromechanical actuation.  He holds three patents, speaks Spanish and Italian, and is recognized as a world-leading expert in EM actuation technology.  

Jon Jeffery
VIce President of Business Development

A founder and former CEO of Hummingbird Aero, Jon is focused on business development following a successful career of 35 years focused on aircraft hydraulic systems and flight control actuation. Prior to Hummingbird, Jon spent 27 years with Parker where he initiated and led Parker’s entry into developing full aircraft hydraulic systems. During this time, Jon was instrumental in the award and development of over 22 aircraft hydraulic systems. 

Jon began his career in 1981 with McDonnell Aircraft Company, St. Louis, Missouri,  as a hydraulic system design engineer during the early phase of the F/A-18 aircraft. Jon worked on a number of emerging technologies including 8000 PSI hydraulic systems, enhanced dynamic stiffness for flight control actuators and variable pressure pumps. At McAir, Jon quickly moved up through positions of hydraulic team leader for the A-12 and then as Unit Chief, Flight Controls & Hydraulic Systems for the F/A-18 programs. 

Jon joined Parker in 1992 as Director of rotating product development, and quickly saw the potential to supply entire aircraft hydraulic systems. Over the next years, Jon spent significant time in France, Russia, Brazil and Asia developing strong relationships with nearly every global OEM aircraft supplier. Jon is a recognized authority on aircraft hydraulic systems development, and brings this expertise through to the Hummingbird client base.  

Jon served for 8 years as President of the SAE A6 International Committee for Aerospace Actuation, Control and Fluid Power Systems. He holds a patent for a novel energy recovery system for electrohydraulic flight controls.  ​

Brett Hunter
Vice President & GM, Military Aircraft

Brett Leads Hummingbird’s Military Aircraft Business Unit following over 37 years in systems architecture design and integration in the Aerospace industry at General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and Moog Aircraft Group. Brett’s main focus has been in air vehicle subsystem design and system integration. He has extensive experience in the emergency power, engine start, leading edge flap and flight control actuation areas.
 
Brett has over 10 years overseas experience as a technical advisor in both Taiwan and South Korea. In Taiwan, Brett represented General Dynamics as the in-country representative to AIDC for the Secondary Power and Hydraulic Systems on the IDF program. He later assumed a larger role as the Vehicle Subsystem lead before returning to Fort Worth, TX to work on the F-16 program. In South Korea, Brett represented Lockheed Martin as the in-country advisor to KAI as the Vehicle Subsystems Sr. Manager on the T-50 program.
 
After returning to Fort Worth, Brett worked on the F-35 program in the Vehicle Systems department in various capacities including Sr. Manager for both the Systems Engineering and Integration and Mechanical Systems Teams.
 
Brett left Lockheed to join Moog Aircraft Group in Torrance, CA as the Chief Engineer for Actuation for the Military Sector. Brett later took on roles as the Director of Engineering for the Military Sector which included, Systems Engineering, Electronics, Software as well as Actuation. Brett’s last role prior to joining Hummingbird was Director of Engineering for the Aircraft Group which included the Commercial and Components Sectors in addition to the Military Sector.
 

Ken Grachan
Sr. Chief Engineer

Ken joins Hummingbird Aero following 40 years of developing aircraft flight control systems, air data computers, TCAS I and TCAS II systems, flight deck displays, fuel pumps, and high-power motor controllers.  Positions included Director of Engineering, Engineering Manager, Systems Engineer, and Electrical/Electronic design engineer for companies including Eaton, L-3 and Honeywell.  Ken served as a Systems and Equipment Designated Engineering Representative (DER) and Assistant Designated Alteration Station (DAS) manager.  Ken also has experience in developing products for aircraft including the Boeing 737, 747, MD80 and Airbus A380. 

Ken is an expert in electromagnetic interference (EMI), electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and the direct and indirect effects of lightning.  He has been a chairman of the SAE-AE4R committee on High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) and a member of the SAE-AE4L committee on the indirect effects of lightning.  He was also a member of the Electromagnetic Effects Harmonization Working Group of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee responsible for the generation of rule making and advisory material for HIRF and Lightning for the FAA.  ​

Sylvain Alaire
​Principal Systems Engineer

Sylvain Alarie is a leading authority in flight control system architecture, logic and functional safety per ARP 4754. Sylvain has served in leadership roles for flight control system responsibilities for Bombardier, Thales, Rockwell Collins and was Chief Engineer for the Gulfstream 500/600 flight controls. His expertise spans system architectural develop for primary flight controls, spoiler systems, horizontal stabilizer trim systems, and slat/flap systems.
 
Sylvain is highly experienced in Embedded Systems design requirements definition and control logic and aircraft integration to the guidelines of SAE ARP4754A and ARP4761. He has participated in component qualification programs, integrated flight control system test rig testing, aircraft ‘iron bird’ testing, and aircraft ground and flight test programs.
 
Sylvain is an expert in aircraft systems integration and certification, and is trained for Transport Canada (TCA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design approval delegation (DER).