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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Catherine K. Bernero

Mr. Kelly received a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in June 1956 and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the USAF through the ROTC program at RPI. He was a Distinguished Graduate from pilot training school (Class 58-H) and flew SH-21s with the Air Rescue Service in Massachusetts and Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. He received an Honorable Discharge from the USAF in 1960 with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He remained in the inactive Reserves.
James Kelly joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1960 and was assigned to the Flight Operations Division of the Space Task Group where he was involved in flight planning and astronaut training using the Mercury Procedures Trainer.
In 1962 he transferred to the Flight Division of the Langley Research Center. Between 1962 and 1968 he conducted and/or participated in numerous helicopter flight investigations, exploring the effect of basic stability and control parameters on handling qualities. Concurrently, he also participated in the development and application of the high-gain model-following simulation technique.
Between 1968 and 1980 Mr. Kelly was assigned to the VTOL Approach and Landing (VALT) Program. In 1972, he was lead engineer on the world's first automatic approach and landing to a predetermined spot with a helicopter.
James Kelly was instrumental in the development of a new in-flight simulator for the VALT Program (the CH-47 research helicopter) and he was principle coordinator for flight test experiments with the Navy during the Joint VALT-NAVTOLAND Program.
In 1979 he was assigned to Langley's Joint NASA/FAA CDTI Program during which he conducted several Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) studies using Langley's Terminal Configured Vehicle (TCV) simulator. In 1981 he was assigned to head the Cockpit Systems and Technology Panel of the President's Task Force on Aircraft Crew Complement.
In 1981 James Kelly transferred to the Advanced Transport Operating Systems office where he was in charge of conducting, coordinating, and supporting flight experiments on Langley's TVC B-737 research aircraft. He retired from NASA in June 1989.
Mr. Kelly is author/co-author of over 20 NASA reports and several conference papers. He holds a patent as co-inventor of a simple, inexpensive, mechanical stability augmentation system. He also holds a commercial pilot’s certificate with SEL, MEL, rotorcraft, and instrument ratings. James Kelly continues to maintain ties to aviation by building and flying free flight model planes. He is currently (2006) treasurer of the NASA Brainbusters model airplane club.