Dr José Barros Rodríguez

About

I joined Kingston University in July 2019 and currently work as a Senior Lecturer in Aerodynamics, Aircraft Systems, Airworthiness, and Systems Engineering.

After receiving a Master's degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) I joined the Spanish Air Force (SAF). I worked as a maintenance officer and as a mission flight crew member in a unit equipped with electronic warfare aircraft.

Next, I worked for 3 years at NAPMA, the International Agency for the NATO AWACS program in the Netherlands, in the conceptual phase for future fleet modernisation programs.

After, I returned to the SAF as Head of Engineering of Wing 12, the F-18 Combat Wing located in Madrid.

Then, I spent one year in France, in one of the four worldwide recognised Flight Test Schools, EPNER, where I graduated as an Experimental Flight Test Engineer.

Subsequently, I was assigned to CLAEX, the Spanish Military Flight Test Center for 5 years. I performed aircraft evaluation flights in Spain, Switzerland, South Korea, and United States; and analysis and flight testing to support the integration of new capabilities in F-18, F-5, and EF-2000, including flutter flight testing of new armament configurations, and missile firing tests.

Later, I joined OCCAR (European Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation) as Acceptance Officer for 5 years. I led the acceptance of 25 A400M, including the first aircraft for France, Turkey, UK, Germany, and Spain.

Finally, I came to UK, Kingston, to look after my two daughters as a full-time father.

I have over 500 flight hours in fighters and advanced trainers, and 300 in transport aircraft, as a flight crew member. 

I gained a PhD degree from the UPM, with a thesis on the structural signals obtained during flutter flight testing. My research interests focus on aeroelasticity, flight testing, airworthiness, and structural dynamics.