EXECUTIVE WATCH Kip McDermott


Vice President Of Aviation Specialties Unlimited Inc. By Rick Weatherford


“I never really thought I’d have the title ‘Vice President’ in front of my name. Coming out of the Army as basically an A&P mechanic, I never really thought my career would reach this level; it’s a pretty daunting responsibility to be honest,” says Kip McDermott, VP of night vision leader Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU) in Boise, Idaho. His current responsibilities seem daunting for sure. Working with government regulators all over the world, writing test plans and certification plans, wrangling designated engineering representatives (DERs) up for engineering reports, overseeing a Part 145 repair station along with ASU’s Part 135 and Part 141 flight operations groups, as well as being responsible for supplemental type certificate (STC) certification and ASU’s highly regarded night vision goggle (NVG) lab would “daunt” any executive. But McDermott is confident he can handle his lengthy list. If he loses his grip, he says there’s help, “The saving grace of it all is that I’ve got good guys I’m working with; I don’t have to micromanage them (I’ve never been a micromanager and will never be). They make my job easier; if I drop something, they pick it up.”


From mechanic to VP is a rare career path, but that ASU company culture of collaboration was a boost that allowed the once Army mechanic to climb to vice president of a corporation known for bringing military night vision technology to civilian aviation. “We have great folks here willing to mentor. Everyone helps everybody along here,” he says. “No one here will let another guy or gal fail. That’s really what allowed me to spread out and strengthen my weaker areas.”


14 July/Aug 2022


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