Geoff Whitehurst

Dr. Geoff Whitehurst is a Professor at Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation, where he teaches several subjects in the AFSJ and AMOJ programs. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from London University, a Graduate Certificate in Statistics, and both Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Evaluation, Measurement, and Research from Western Michigan University. His doctoral dissertation focused on using single-case research designs to study pilots’ performance degradation when transitioning from digital to analog cockpit flight instrumentation. His research interests include the use of experiential education in flight training, and he has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator for several research projects with the FAA PEGASAS Center of Excellence since 2014, working with the FAA to improve weather-related training practices. He has presented internationally at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London and at conferences in other countries, and he is the author or co-author of two books and numerous papers published in peer-reviewed journals.

He began his flying career as a navigator with the Royal Air Force (RAF), flying aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom, before moving to the United States to train ab initio pilots. He has trained pilots for FlightSafety International, Qatar Aeronautical College, as well as helicopter pilots for Bristow Academy, before joining Western Michigan University ‘s College of Aviation.