Aerospace engineer works to build the best Army aviation aircraft

By Katie Davis Skelley, DEVCOM Aviation & Missile Center Public AffairsNovember 7, 2022

(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (Nov. 6, 2022) – For Brian Cerovsky, engineering is a team sport and there is no team he would rather be on than the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center.

Cerovsky is an aerospace engineer in the Center’s Systems Readiness Directorate Structures and Materials Division. One of SRD’s responsibilities is to be the independent delegated airworthiness authority for the Army. SRD reviews and signs off on airworthiness releases and provides insight to key decision makers on Army aircraft issues. Yes, that includes almost all aircraft in the Army – both rotary and fixed wing.

“When you are on a commercial flight, you don’t have to worry about the safety of that flight. All you should worry about is getting to where you are going on time,” Cerovsky said. “The same is true for our servicemembers. Whenever they are on an Army aircraft, they should be assured that they are on a safe aircraft, allowing them to focus solely on their mission.”

Cerovsky recently traveled to the U.S. Army National Training Center, where he had the opportunity to work with Soldiers and receive firsthand feedback from Army aviators, learning what worked for them -- and what needed some work.

“It was amazing,” Cerovsky said. “I got to experience just a small snippet of what our Soldiers go through in the field. We were able to have a lot of interactions with them resulting in a lot of productive conversations.

“I was able to ask them, ‘What are the problems that you are having with your helicopters?’ We also received positive feedback about how good of a job we do. This was very rewarding because it allowed me to see the positive impact our work makes on the Soldier. It also provided me some perspective of what they are going through and the type of environment they are operating in while training to protect our country.”

Cerovsky always had an affinity for aircraft growing up, which made an aerospace engineering major at Mississippi State University an easy choice. He joined AvMC right out of college and has been with the Center for the last five years.

“When I was in college, my goal was to become a pilot in the Navy,” he shared. “I always had a passion for aviation and flying so I thought it would be a good idea to learn more about it in school. It was my senior year and we were excused for the day if we went to the career fair, so I went. At the fair, I spoke to the DEVCOM AvMC representative. I decided after speaking to them that I spent all this time getting an engineering degree, I should see what it is like to use it.”

When not at AvMC, Cerovsky takes to the skies himself as a pilot of a general aviation airplane. He also enjoys playing golf, rock climbing and enjoying the southern scenery of Georgia and Alabama where his family lives.

(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cerovsky has spent half of his career at AvMC in the traditional office setting and the second half teleworking.

“Teleworking has benefited my group by not being limited by geography, allowing us to hire some amazing engineers we would not have been able to previously,” Cerovsky said. “I have also been impressed how well their new employees have overcome problems associated with entering the workforce right out of school in a virtual setting and the initiatives that have been put in place from the Center level all the way down to my branch to keep everyone together in this telework environment.”

For those young engineers, Cerovsky has some advice, whether they might be in the office or working from home, as he was in their shoes not too long ago.

“As you’re learning and striving to become better in your field, also work to become a more effective communicator. Being able to communicate your answer to an engineering problem is nearly as important as being able to come up with the correct solution. Don’t be afraid to ask a dumb question, because the only dumb question is the one that wasn’t asked. However, it is not just asking the question – but listening to the answer.

“Finally, be open to learn from anyone. Everyone has different experiences than you and has something to teach you.”

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The DEVCOM Aviation & Missile Center, headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the Army’s research and development focal point for advanced technology in aviation and missile systems. It is part of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command. AvMC is responsible for delivering collaborative and innovative aviation and missile capabilities for responsive and cost-effective research, development and life cycle engineering solutions, as required by the Army’s strategic priorities and support to its Cross-Functional Teams.