Ryan T. Hornback
Professional Summary
Dedicated and passionate aerospace professional with more than eight years of proven success, showcasing expertise in program management, technical operations and customer support. Throughout my career I’ve demonstrated a commitment to delivering innovative solutions and driving operational excellence.
Experience
Aircraft Engineer
UPS Airlines, March 2018 – February 2020, January 2024 – Present
Fleet Support for 290+ aircraft and 1700+ turbine engines operated by UPS Airlines. Developing solutions to ensure the fleet’s airworthiness and driving reliability improvements.
- Program Management – Led a range of critical reliability improvement projects and programs, resulting in enhancements to overall fleet performance. Coordinated training events and supported process improvements. Many initiatives resulted in a 100% reduction in associated delays and cost savings.
- Customer Support – Acted as the immediate point of contact for over 300 aircraft operational issues on a global scale related to ATA chapters 49 and 70 through 80. Engine types include Pratt & Whitney PW4000, Pratt & Whitney PW2000, GE Aviation CF6-80C2 and Rolls-Royce RB211-535.
- Strategic Planning – Managed engine removal schedules and budgets with consideration to operational impact, financial constraints and contract structure to optimize resource allocation.
- Supplier Management – Oversight of Part 145 Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, ensuring that maintenance processes aligned with industry best practices and compliance standards.
- Data Analysis – Developed advanced troubleshooting practices and maintenance procedures based on root cause analysis, significantly reducing delays and associated costs.
UAS Engineer
UPS Flight Forward, February 2020 – December 2023
Engineer supporting daily Part 135 drone operations within the National Airspace System (NAS) while actively evaluating emerging technologies such as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS).
- Program Management – Managed projects related to aircraft design, development, validation, and airworthiness certification, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements. Facilitated the timely integration of new technology, resulting in enhanced operational capabilities.
- Technical Operations – Delivered comprehensive support for daily drone delivery operations, including development of training programs, routine maintenance and product troubleshooting. These initiatives played a pivotal role in facilitating over 13,000 successfully completed flights.
- Business Development – Collaborated with internal and external stakeholders to gather requirements, analyze emerging trends, identify risk and define go-to-market (GTM) strategy.
- Collaboration – Served as a liaison between hardware and software engineering teams to develop applications and API products using agile methodologies to enable and optimize UAS operations.
- Research – Extensive research into both crewed and uncrewed aircraft, evaluating them for potential acquisition. This research informed critical decisions and allowed us to enhance our fleet by evaluating over 130 aircraft and conducting hands-on testing of 10 unique airframes.
- Regulatory Compliance – Served as a liaison between multiple teams to define and maintain regulatory compliance and quality assurance programs such as the Continuous Airworthiness Maintenance Program (CAMP) and Aircraft Conformity Inspections. Monitored aviation regulations to stay up to date
Engineer / Engineering Co-op
Belcan (Lockheed Martin Contractor), December 2017 – March 2018
- Manufacturing – Developed and updated manufacturing plans used for construction, modification and retrofit of Sikorsky military (UH-60, HH-60, SH-60) and commercial (S-92) rotorcraft programs.
- Data Analysis – Analyzed flight data to calculate component replacement times and optimized maintenance schedules.
- Export Control – Ensured technical documents adhered to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR) U.S. export control laws.
Combustion Aeronautics and Design Co-op
GE Aviation, August 2015 – December 2015
- Certification – Supported component and full scale test regimes for the Part 33 LEAP-1B aircraft engine certification.
Education & Certifications
Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering
University of Kentucky
Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Project Management Professional (PMP) ATP Bootcamp
Skillsoft
Skills
Project Management | Product Design | FAA Part 121 & Part 135 Airline Operations | FAA Part 107 Operator
Customer Support | Stakeholder Management | Effective Communication | Agile | Problem Solving
Volunteer
Tesla Owners of Kentucky
Founder / Board Member
Eastside Aviation Advisory Committee
Member
EKU Aviation Advisory Board
Member