Scott J. Howe

Scott J. Howe is a research test pilot at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. He flies missions for the center’s F-15 test bed, B200 King Air mission support and research aircraft, T-34C mission support aircraft, and Global Hawk unmanned aircraft. As an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) subject matter expert, Howe helps develop future UAS concepts, detect-and-avoid systems, airspace architectures, autonomy implementations, and Advanced Air Mobility research.

Experience

Howe joined NASA Armstrong’s Flight Operations in 2014. Since then, he has flown several NASA missions, including detect-and-avoid testing for MQ-9, MQ-23, fly-by-wire S-76, and chase aircraft; F-15 supersonic probing for X-59 Quesst; RQ-4 hurricane research; X-56 flutter suppression; T-34C antenna testing; B200 environmental earth science mapping; and UAS envelope expansion.

Prior to joining NASA, from 2007, Howe served in the California Air National Guard as an MQ-1 and MQ-9 instructor-evaluator pilot and supported operations and task forces, in addition to search and rescue missions. With more than 1,700 MQ-1 flight hours, he retired in 2021 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

From 2007 to 2014, Howe also served as an instructor and evaluator test pilot at the U.S. Air Force Medium Altitude UAS Flight Test Detachment-3 for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base at Gray Butte Field Airport in Palmdale, California. During this time, Howe reached a milestone of 2,000 hours of remotely piloted aircraft flight time with the MQ-1 and MQ-9 Predator aircraft.

Howe was an active-duty pilot with the U.S. Air Force from 1996 through 2007. He flew the F-15C/D Eagle and RQ/MQ-1 Predator aircraft. He served two tours in the Pacific Region and has more than 900 pilot hours in the F-15.

Honors

Howe earned several NASA awards, including the Aviation Week Laureate Award, Early Career Achievement Medal, and Collier Trophy. His military honors include the Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. Additionally, he was presented with the Orville Wright Achievement Award by the Order of the Daedalians.

Education

Howe earned a Bachelor of Science at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Howe attended the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California, where he received a test pilot certificate and a Master of Science in flight test and evaluation.