Sponsor: Buenaventura Section Chapter,AES10
Buenaventura Section Affinity Group, LM
Speaker: Jerry Knotts

Meeting Date: 20 Jul 2023
Time: 06:30 PM to 08:30 PM
Cost:
Location: On lie and in Westlake Village
Reservations: IEEE
Summary:
The BIG SAFARI Program was started by the USAF in 1952 to enable the quick reaction, expedited management, acquisition, and logistical support for special aircraft / systems Big Safari was limited to modifying and adapting existing aircraft and systems in support of significant operational needs.

Though the BIG SAFARI Program is still alive, this presentation will describe many of the special projects and the how the BIG SAFARI Program operated during the period 1964 – 1977.

Bio: Jerry Knotts Jerry Knotts served 24 years in the USAF. During that period, he flew clandestine reconnaissance missions in covertly configured aircraft in and around Germany, the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Mediterranean areas. Later he flew 112 missions in North Vietnam/Laos as an F-105F Wild Weasel / Ryan Raider “Surface to Air Missile (SAM) Killer”. Then he was a member of the USAF Big Safari Program team.

Since retirement from the USAF, he has been a serial entrepreneur, coach, angel investor and has worked with numerous entrepreneurs for over 30 years. Over this period of time, he started five companies and mentored over 300 start-ups.

His previous executive positions included Vice-President/General Manager, Government Electronics Division, California Microwave Inc. (CMI), Woodland Hills, CA and Vice-President, American Nucleonics Corporation (ANC), Westlake Village, CA.

Jerry holds a BSEE (Electrical Engineering) from The Pennsylvania State University; and an MBA from Auburn University. In addition, he is a graduate of the Defense Acquisition University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College.