Logan M. Thomas

Aviation Analyst

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Master of Science, Occupational Safety Management, 2023 (Projected)
Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Science; Minor, Aviation Safety, 2021

CERTIFICATIONS AND RATINGS
National Framework Response (IS—800.D) Course
National Incident Management System (IS—700.B) Course
Commercial Pilot—Airplane, single-engine land; Instrument Rating
Commercial Pilot—Airplane, multi-engine land; Instrument Rating
OSHA 30-hour General Industry Safety and Health
U.S. Navy On Demand Hypoxia Trainer Trials
ERAU Aerospace Forensics Lab Mentor
Essential HTML Content Training

As an aviation analyst at PAI Consulting (PAI), Mr. Thomas uses his aviation expertise and analytical skills to examine and categorize client data. He supports aviation directed studies by evaluating data, organizing findings, and drafting technical studies, other reports, and written documentation. Mr. Thomas also uses his organizational skills and experience to support PAI’s clients by tracking and organizing records and other supplemental information.

In 2015, Mr. Thomas began his career in the aviation industry by enrolling at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he studied Aeronautical Science with a Commercial Pilot specialization track, and a minor in Aviation Safety. His coursework included Flight Technique Analysis, Aircraft Accident Investigation, Digital Safety Data Analysis, Flight Physiology, Electronic Flight Management Systems, and Aviation Safety Program Management. Over the course of his Aviation Safety minor at ERAU, Mr. Thomas participated in challenges led by professors with investigative backgrounds with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who invited industry colleagues to evaluate mock NTSB investigations for capstone projects. Mr. Thomas extensively contributed to four simulated NTSB aircraft accident reports. The flight component of Mr. Thomas’ degree program offered a rigorous Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 141 flight training environment that earned him pilot privileges for Commercial Multiengine Airplane Land and Commercial Airplane Single Engine Land with an Instrument Rating for both. Aside from flight training, Mr. Thomas regularly acted as a safety pilot for other aviators and rented a variety of aircraft to fly friends and family under 14 CFR part 91. This garnered him experience flying equipment from the modern Garmin G1000nxi avionics suite and the complex systems on the Diamond DA42NG light twin aircraft, to basic versions of the single engine Cessna 172. Additionally, he experienced flying in mountainous terrain, high performance high altitude piston aircraft, and gliders. At ERAU, Mr. Thomas seized the opportunity to train with the Spatial Disorientation Trainer, designed for simulating hazardous in-flight illusions, and he twice conducted the High-Altitude Normobaric Chamber Lab for hypoxia training and awareness.

Mr. Thomas trained as an ERAU Aerospace Forensics Lab Mentor. In this capacity, he introduced tour groups, other classes, and visitors to the university’s mock crash lab. The lab featured wreckage found at the crash site for each fatal aircraft accident, and Mr. Thomas had to be versed in the context and contributing factors for each accident site and the theory and investigative knowledge the NTSB teams used to determine the accident causes and factors.

Outside of the course of his studies, Mr. Thomas remained involved in aviation safety. He served on ERAU’s Aviation Safety Advisory Council for several years and worked with the Flight Department Chairman’s Advisory Council for a 1-year term. Both commitments afforded Mr. Thomas opportunities to advocate for and promote aviation safety on behalf of the students on the flightline. These volunteer positions led to a unique industry opportunity for Mr. Thomas to take part in a hypoxia study through ERAU in partnership with the U.S Navy, testing a new training development known as the On Demand Hypoxia Trainer (ODHT). This developing technology involved pumping controlled oxygen at varying and specific saturation levels safely into a flight mask, thus eliminating the need for ambient pressure adjustments or a full hypoxia training chamber to simulate high-altitude hypoxia.

In the summer of 2017, Mr. Thomas participated in the ERAU European Aviation Appreciation Study Abroad opportunity, which involved an aviation focused tour across England, France, and Germany. The program took him to major aviation museums to study each country’s historic accomplishments and contributions, while also providing a hands-on experience with flight in other countries.

While attending ERAU, Mr. Thomas worked for the ERAU Worldwide Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence as a Senior Registration Specialist. In this capacity, he was responsible for training and certifying new faculty members. He also drafted, maintained, and updated electronic records related each faculty member’s training and certification. As part of this effort, Mr. Thomas was designated the student team lead in charge of student training and regularly reviewed training materials to ensure they were current and efficient. He maintained several cloud-based Excel workbooks containing yearly faculty registration data, recurrent training data, and faculty attendance compliance reports. Also, in support of the department director, Mr. Thomas interpolated and produced specifically requested data sets for all the university’s 1,400 adjuncts and faculty to identify training needs, trends, or other vital information for the ERAU Worldwide Chancellor. Mr. Thomas became the representative of the department as he handled the daily communications sent through the department’s accounts, responding to inquiries and requests from college directors and administration to newly hired adjunct faculty.

Mr. Thomas is pursuing a Master’s degree in Occupational Safety Management. His coursework includes Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response; Safety, Health, and Environmental Legislation and Literature; and Fire Safety Management thus far. He has also earned certifications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for completing courses encompassing the National Response Framework, and the National Incident Management System. As he finishes the program, he will also explore topics such as Hazard Controls in Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, and Human Factors and Ergonomics. Completion of this program will award Mr. Thomas a Master of Science in the safety industry and the Graduate Safety Professional designation per the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.