Sandra Locatelli
Savannah
Summary
Dynamic leader in certification engineering with a proven track record in managing teams and aligning engineering documentation with safety regulations. Spearheaded successful completion of multiple STCs, enhancing project efficiency and regulatory compliance. Known for developing strategic certification approaches that empower teams to achieve exceptional results under tight deadlines.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Certification Engineering Group Head II (G700 Completion)
Gulfstream Aerospace
Savannah
11.2018 - Current
- Lead G700 completion certification efforts (FAA and EASA STCs).
- Assumes total direction/strategic planning of all the certification tasks and engineering documents to successfully support the completion STCs.
- Establish certification strategies.
- Ensure that all requirements are in alignment with applicable safety regulations (FAA and EASA).
- Manage a staff of 10 certification engineers to successfully complete multiple STCs and EASA validation.
- Provide training and technical expertise to the team.
- Develop engineering substantiation documents and certification data to support cabin interior and systems STCs.
- Coordinate certification activities between design team, certification engineers, EAR, ODA, management and operation.
Engineering Group Head I – Advanced Aircraft Program TC – Certification and Airworthiness
Gulfstream Aerospace
Savannah
04.2017 - 11.2018
- Supervised Certification Engineers.
- Coordinated G500 and G600 TC certification project activities.
- Successfully coordinated the G500 EASA Validation project.
- Developed certification documentation, Issue Papers, Certification Review Items, Type Inspection Authorization.
- Participated in FAA, EASA Meetings.
- Interacted and coordinated with Engineering team members, Operations, Flight Test, EAR, ODA.
- Support Engineering with certification issues.
- Effectively managed more than 70 TIAs certification deliverables for certification flight testing.
Certification Project Specialist Sr and Project Engineer
Gulfstream Aerospace
Savannah
11.2014 - 04.2017
- Coordination of certification activities for Advance Aircraft Programs – Final Phase from the initial application to issuance of STCs.
- Generated Certification Plans, Certification Compliance Check List, Conformity Plans.
- Preparation of Issue Papers, Certification Review Items.
- Generated engineering substantiation documents in support of the STC.
- Coordinated conformity activities.
- Developed schedules, tasks and deliverables for certification activities.
- Conducted briefing for managements.
- Conducted meeting with FAA and EASA.
- Successfully managed to coordinate all the Baggage Compartment fire testing certification activities to meet new EASA requirements and saved Gulfstream from having to install a fire suppression system.
- In addition to my certification specialist position, I have been supporting the project engineering team and responsible for development and certification of Advanced Aircraft Project aircraft interior components that support the project milestones leading to certification and entry into service (Window Shades, Ties Rods, Pocket Doors) since 2013.
Technical Specialist I (Certification and Project Engineer)
Gulfstream Aerospace
Savannah
02.2012 - 11.2014
- Coordination of certification activities for Advance Aircraft Programs – Final Phase from the initial application to issuance of STCs.
- Generated Certification Plans, Certification Compliance Check List, Conformity Plans.
- Preparation of Issue Papers, Certification Review Items.
- Generated engineering substantiation documents in support of the STC.
- Coordinated conformity activities.
- Developed schedules, tasks and deliverables for certification activities.
- Conducted briefing for managements.
- Conducted meeting with FAA and EASA.
- Successfully managed to coordinate all the Baggage Compartment fire testing certification activities to meet new EASA requirements and saved Gulfstream from having to install a fire suppression system.
Senior Certification Engineer & Engineering Project Coordinator
Jet Aviation
Basel
10.2011 - 02.2012
- In addition to my Senior Certification Engineer role, I was made Engineering Project coordinator for the Saudi Royal Fleet B747-400 major modification project.
- Responsibilities included:
- Management of all engineering-interfaces and coordination of all the engineering activities between program management, customer, quality control, supply chain and certification.
- The responsibilities included as well the organization and lead of project engineering team meetings, assignment of action items and follow up on proper execution of actions, anticipation, analysis and report of potential engineering project risks and countermeasures to project leaders.
Senior Certification Engineer
Jet Aviation
Basel
05.2002 - 02.2012
- Working as a Senior Certification Engineer in a supervisory role and involved in the certification of wide body airplanes.
- Responsibilities included:
- Development of product plans for major aircraft programs that support the program milestones leading to certification and entry into service.
- In a supervisory capacity, plans, develops, coordinates between Jet Aviation Basel Engineering Department, Compliance Verification Engineers, DERs and Air Authorities such as: EASA, FAA, General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia, Bermuda DCA, Cayman Islands CAA, French DGAC, UK CAA, German LBA, Swiss FOCA, Dutch CAA, Italian ENAC, Spanish DGAC, Nigerian NCA, Cameroon CAA, Russian FAA, Aruba DCA, South African CAA, Qatar CAA, Bahrain Ministry of Transportation, UAE DGAC.
- Involvement in the certification and engineering development of STC projects on various aircraft types: Boeing: B747-400, B757, B737-700IGW, B737-800, B737-900, B767-300, B727; Airbus: A319CJ, A320, A330-300, A340-300, A340-600; Dassault: F10, F20, F900, F900EX, F2000, F2000EX, F200; Bombardier: BD700-1A10, B700-1A11, CL601, CL601-3A, CL601-3R, CL604; Learjet: 31, 35, 45, 55.
- Installations included: Cabin Interior Installation including but not limited to complex design changes (medical lift between decks, installation of cabin in cargo compartment, medical room installation, emergency door deactivation and re-skinning, flight crew rests installation, stairs between decks installation); Satellite TV Installation; External Camera Installation; Satcom System; WLAN Activation; FMS Upgrade; EFB Installation; EGPWS Installations and Upgrade; EFIS Installation.
- Involved in the following ground and flight tests: Air Conditioning, Equipment Environment, Cockpit additional cooling system, Lower Lobe Exhaust system, Cabin Interphone, Passenger Address System, Satcom HSD, Cabin Telephone System, Galley Lift, Medical Lift, Smoke Detection, Call System, Oxygen, Interior Door Warning, Smoke penetration, Fire Suppression, Emergency Lighting.
- Coordination of evacuation demonstration on Boeing airplanes and working in cooperation with the University of Greenwich for the development of evacuation simulation on B747-400 (Exodus Software).
- Development of Interior Compliance Test Plan & Report and involvement in aircraft compliance inspection.
- Preparation of Classification Assessment Form (Classification of Design Changes of all the modifications done by Jet Aviation Basel).
- STC Application, Certification Plan, Certification Compliance Sheets (JAR / CS 25 / FAR 25), Issue Papers/Special Conditions/ELOS, Certification Review Item, Test Plan, Master Data List, Approvals, AFMS, EWIS Instructions for Continued Airworthiness, Engineering Orders.
- Development and organization of certification tasks and engineering deliverables to the Office of Airworthiness, sets requirements, estimates work scopes.
- Establishment of certification project plan, task assignments, engineering deliverables to the Office of Airworthiness, sets requirements including master scheduling that meets corporate objectives and commitments.
- Anticipation of problems with assigned projects and takes appropriate action to prevent their occurrence.
- Review project related engineering data to assure compliance with corporate policies and FAA/EASA requirements as required.
- Preparation of STC packages for submittal to Authorities for approval.
- Review of aircraft data, evaluation and coordination of registration change.
- EU OPS 1 Compliance Review.
- Maintain awareness of national and international requirements for the certification of aircraft by the personnel of the associated Product Teams.
- Direct interface with the National Aviation Authorities and Europe on matters associated with Design Organisation Approval and its renewal.
- Ensured all Major and Minor modifications were achieved to programme.
- Ensured that programme Certification basis, interpretation of rules, and Means of Compliance are appropriate for the product, whilst maintaining adequate levels of safety.
- Pre-verification of documents published within the engineering department which are required by the applicable regulations prior to the review by the Certification Verification Engineer.
- Updated and compiled company procedures.
- Follow up on DOA Audit findings and timely closure of all actions required to achieve the targets.
- Reviewed Airworthiness Directives.
Engineering Department
Jet Aviation
01.2000 - 05.2002
- Provided support to Engineering Department.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Engineering
Clarkson University
Master's Degree - Languages
Besançon University
FRANCESkills
- Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Access)
- Microsoft Project
- Catia
- SmarTeam
- Airworthiness and Certification Enterprise System Data Base
Training
- DOA – JAR 21 – General Introduction, 04/01/02
- SVFB Aircraft Mechanics Course Module 8, 12/01/02
- JAA and JAR-145, 11/01/02
- JAR 21, 05/01/03
- IR 21, 12/01/03
- EASA Rules and Regulations, 04/01/04
- Part 21 Training – JAA, 11/01/05
- EASA Refresher, 11/01/07
- JAR OPS 1 Training Course, 12/01/07
- JAR-OPS vs EU OPS Difference Training, 12/01/07
- Cabin Safety Design Training, 10/01/08
- Avionics Course – Cranfield University, 04/01/09
- Cabin Safety Certification, 09/01/09
- Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS) Training, 10/01/09
- Certification Verification Engineer EASA Refresher, 2010
- System Safety Assessment, 12/01/11
- Gulfstream ODA Training, 2018
- Certification and Airworthiness Data Base, 2018
- Airworthiness and Certification Enterprise System Data Base, 2018
- Gulfstream Leading Edge Training, 2018
- Participated in Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety, 2018
Languages
Native Speaker, Fluent, Native Speaker, Advance Level
Qualifications Education
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Clarkson University, Degree equivalent based on Academic Qualification and Professional Experience
- Master's Degree in Languages, Besançon University, France
Personal Information
Citizenship: US Citizen
Timeline
Certification Engineering Group Head II (G700 Completion)
Gulfstream Aerospace
11.2018 - Current
Engineering Group Head I – Advanced Aircraft Program TC – Certification and Airworthiness
Gulfstream Aerospace
04.2017 - 11.2018
Certification Project Specialist Sr and Project Engineer
Gulfstream Aerospace
11.2014 - 04.2017
Technical Specialist I (Certification and Project Engineer)
Gulfstream Aerospace
02.2012 - 11.2014
Senior Certification Engineer & Engineering Project Coordinator
Jet Aviation
10.2011 - 02.2012
Senior Certification Engineer
Jet Aviation
05.2002 - 02.2012
Engineering Department
Jet Aviation
01.2000 - 05.2002
Bachelor of Science - Engineering
Clarkson University
Master's Degree - Languages
Besançon University