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Nickolas D. “Dan” Macchiarella, Ph.D., is a Professor of Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida. At the university Dan held research, research leadership, teaching and administrative leadership positions. His research portfolio includes serving as principal investigator (PI) and operational test pilot. Dan’s research expertise focuses upon the adaptation of computer-based technologies to enhance flight training and flight operations for manned and unmanned systems. He was the PI for the university’s Flight Training Device Effectiveness Study. This research heavily applied FAA qualified Flight Training Devices (FTD) to train ab initio students. He served as PI for FAA research Synthetic Speech and Visual Data Communications for Flight Deck Use. This research examined the use of synthetic speech on a Data Comm enhanced flight deck. Dan was a member of the working group for ARINC Report 439: Guidance for Simulated Air Traffic Control Environments in Flight Simulation Training Devices. He has numerous publications ranging from published book chapters to journals. Print and electronic media have used interviews with Dan on multiple occasions for stories addressing professional pilot education, simulator development and UAS operations. He is an airplane and helicopter pilot with 2500 hours of logged flight time.