Georgia Magazine - December 2024 - 38

Hometown HEROES
By Jennifer Henn
Charles Dixon:
tamer of the wild
vortex
C
harles " Chuck " Dixon has dedicated his life to making
flight safer. When employed as an aeronautical engineer,
he had a near-death incident. He was a passenger on a
small plane that went into a spin from the trailing vortex of a
passing jet.
" It was like flying into a horizontal tornado, " Dixon says.
He walked away from the incident determined to improve
the flight characteristics and performance of all types of
airplanes.
" We [aircraft designers] needed to get the vortex to work for
us instead of killing us, " he says.
Dixon worked as an aeronautical engineer with major
aircraft companies for 36 years.
" Fortunately, my past experience put me into the research
facility where new concepts are discovered to design better
airplanes, " he says.
After retiring from Lockheed Martin as a research scientist,
Dixon started his own business, Consulting Aviation Services
Inc. (CAS). CAS and investors conducted wind-tunnel studies
under the Technical Cooperation Program, an innovative
network of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand
and the United Kingdom to support defense and national
security.
Dixon developed devices called eaglets that save lives by
making planes more stable in flight. His other invention, vortex
control finlets, save fuel. Both are mounted onto existing
aircraft. Dixon owns two U.S. patents for these devices.
Besides his engineering work, Dixon shared his love of
flight with others. He earned his pilot's license and became a
coordinator for the Young Eagles program, which takes youths
for their first airplane rides at no charge.
" The most enjoyable part of my 65 years was taking people
flying, " Dixon says.
Dixon flew kids out of Cobb County International Airport or
Cherokee County Regional Airport.
" When we got in the airplane, I'd start with a prayer, and
then I had to tell them I'm not afraid. I'm praying because I
thank God that I can do this, " he says.
Through CAS, Dixon received a request from Kennesaw
Mountain High School's magnet program to work with students
on an aviation project.
" They worked four or five hours a week on a software
program that predicted the lift, drag and pitching and rolling
38 Georgia Magazine December 2024
Charles Dixon holds his autobiography, titled " Chasing a Whirlwind. "
The circled area of the aircraft in the photo behind Dixon shows the
location of the vortex control finlets.
characteristics of many aircraft, " he says.
He mentored 10 students over four years.
CAS also mentored interns from the Georgia Institute of
Technology in Atlanta. Well-trained in writing software, the Tech
students knew the engineering language of the program used
at CAS. One of their tasks was to collect data from flight tests
recording the effects of airflow from propellers mounted on the
Wing Derringer test aircraft's wing.
" They didn't know anything about airplanes, but they knew
all about computers and taught us some things, " Dixon says.
Dixon and the staff hoped students would consider aviation
careers.
" When they were earning their master's degrees, we hired
them, " he says.
Whether engineering lifesaving devices or mentoring the
next generation, Dixon pursued excellence.
Dixon says, " God taught me through my mistakes and led
me to make the right choices. "
Jennifer Henn is a freelance writer living in Acworth.
Georgia Magazine - December 2024

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