Welcome to Torrey Pines GullsDon Lochhead – Modeler of the Year – 2009/2011
Don Lochhead was born in Ithaca, New York near Cornell University. He grew up in the community of Essex Fells, New Jersey as a child. Don’s interest in aerospace began with Estes model rockets, which he enjoyed launching with friends in the area. This included not just standard rocket models but those that had a CG shift or boost gliders for additional fun. He also built plastic models, but models that sat there on a desk didn’t seem as appealing.
After doing well in high school he applied to one college, Cornell University, and was accepted with early admission. He focused during his first two years on general courses in engineering towards a bachelor's degree. However, in his third year he clicked with several professors involved in the emerging field of solid-state microwave devices. This led to a new cycle of morning classes and lab work in the afternoons, with accelerated learning in labs with federal funding. As a result, Don became adept at developing breadboards using the devices developed by his professors, publishing his research with organizations such as IEEE. After graduating with his BS in Engineering, he continued at Cornell with a Master’s Degree in Engineering in just 1 year (a non-thesis degree).
After his graduation, he took two interviews with companies in Los Angeles (TRW and Hughes) and opted to take the position at TRW. These job offers came right away given the nature and importance of Don’s technical work. When Don arrived in Los Angeles from New York and saw the palm trees outside of LAX, he figured that southern California was for him. He found a place to live nearby in Redondo Beach.
At TRW, his initial efforts focused on communications and very shortly he was given increased responsibility on a variety of projects regarding satellites. As TRW wanted to expand its interests to avionics and also expand its geographic reach, it established a new division in San Diego (first at Sorrento Valley and then at Carmel Mountain Ranch). Don was asked if he wanted to move to San Diego. The answer was of course, yes. He found a place to live in Rancho Bernardo and largely worked on avionics for military aircraft including the F-22 and F-35 and other projects largely sponsored by Lockheed and Boeing. This position also required Don to travel regularly both nationally and internationally. He also helped develop avionics for the IAI RQ-5 Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle and perhaps one can consider this as his first foray into RC, except at large scale. Following 36 years of continuous effort for TRW (and then Northrop Grumman after the purchase of TRW), Don retired in 2008 having generated numerous patents and publications.
In about 2004/2005, Don read an interesting article in the San Diego Union; a short note about an international RC model glider contest being held in Poway. It sounded interesting so he checked it out and was amazed to see a bunch of pilots flying discus launch gliders at the International Hand Launch Glider Festival. This was cool! He purchased an EZ Glider for training on a hi-start and joined the club in 2005. After a year of learning on the EZ Glider (actually several…), Don purchased a used Lighthawk II from Aradhana Singh Khalsa of New Mexico who had attended IHLGF and he flew that plane for a time; then purchased a Blaster II; then a first-generation Snipe; then short nosed Snipes, and most recently a Concept CX5 and BAMF2. When Don was also starting out, he purchased a Shadow and flew that at both Poway and Encinitas for thermal duration but gravitated more towards hand launch than thermal duration over time.
During 2007-2008 the TPG was just commissioning the Encinitas field, and there was a general request to help with projects to get that field established. Don answered the call, connected with Keith Finkenbiner and Cliff Hunter and helped get the trailer set up with shelving; helped fix the solar cells on the storage container for battery charging; helped build wooden barriers for the methane pipes at the field with Cliff and Arthur Markiewicz; and even built picnic tables for the club’s use at club fields. He also helped build the carts for the club winches and all of the signage at Encinitas. Given all of the effort being made, Don was an easy choice for the Modeler of the Year trophy at the December meeting in 2009, largely for his effort at the Encinitas Field and general support of the club.
Don’s effort however, didn’t end there. In 2010 he was asked to serve as winchmaster, which he did for one year. However, the club had a more pressing need in 2011 for a treasurer and Don volunteered to switch to that role, a role he has continuously served in for TPG to the present. Given a corporate background Don reorganized the club’s finances. In 2011 he received the Modeler of the Year award again as Treasurer along with Mark Canfield (President) and Mark Wood (Slope Coordinator) specifically for helping “the club to recover its footing after becoming a bit disorganized over the past year or two.” Bill Eckles, the newsletter editor noted: “These three guys deservedly are being recognized for service well above and beyond the normal expectations of club members. Don has gone to great lengths to untangle a confused financial situation and bring order and reason to our fiscal future.”
Don continued to help the club in many ways beyond just finances. He’s helped build the wireless speakers for the DLG contests, charging systems, etc. Whenever the club has asked Don to help, he has volunteered. However, these attributes have a strong familial relationship. His grandfather was Archie Lochhead, the first Director of the Exchange Stabilization Fund who served as Technical Assistant to Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau, Jr. under the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Interestingly, Archie also volunteered during World War I for service and became a certified pilot in the 182nd Aero Squadron of the Army Air Corps.
