James “Jim” Young III (AeroEngr'88, MS'89)
2026 Alumni Engagement Medal Recipient
Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences Recipient
James “Jim” Young III graduated from the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences in 1988 with a BS and in 1989 with a MS. The last real glory years for CU football. While at CU, Young earned his private and instrument rating at the Boulder airport. That would lead to the next 25 years in aviation.
Young is the chief experimental test pilot for Mmo Aviation Services Inc. He has been directly involved in experimental flight tests since 1991. He spent six years as a flight test engineer for several companies before transitioning to become a flight test pilot. For over 25 years, he has been a FAA Designated Engineering Representative Flight Test Pilot and Flight Analyst for all aircraft categories and light helicopters; he is one of few DERs to be dual qualified.
Young has participated in two Type Certificate Programs and over 250 Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) programs. He has over 14,000 flight hours in 200 different aircraft types and has 14 type ratings. He has tested aircraft from small Cessnas to the Boeing 747 super jumbo. He has also flown worldwide as a corporate pilot and airline pilot and holds commercial glider and floatplane ratings, as well as an instructor license.
Over the past 20 years, Young has specialized in performance and handling qualities testing, primarily in transport aircraft, including highly modified aircraft. He has performed every type of test required for FAA certification. Young has completed numerous high risk tests, including dive testing, flutter clearance and spin testing. He has experienced unpredicted divergent pitch response, control reversals, unmodeled aeroelastic events and multiple departures from controlled flight.
Flight test highlights include: First flight of the Lockheed Martin F-35 CATBird B737 testbed, 777 and G-V initial certification, Aviation Partners winglet programs, multiple aerial fire tankers, multiple special mission/ISR modified aircraft, and Head of State VIP completions. Young is an associate fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and serves as a member of their Foundation Board, as well as serving on the membership and editorial committees.
Young and his wife, Jana, are both active in supporting CU Boulder’s aerospace engineering program. They sponsor senior design projects and provide regular consultation with the students. Jim Young actively supports students by helping them build their professional network while still in school. Once these students have entered their career, he continues to provide them with mentorship and networking opportunities.