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FlightSafety names Hester vice president of visual systems

FlightSafety International Press Release | January 29, 2015

Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 28 seconds.


Jon Hester is the new vice president of visual systems. FlightSafety International Photo

FlightSafety International has promoted Jon Hester to vice president of visual systems.

“We are very pleased to promote Jon,” said Bruce Whitman, president and CEO. “Our customers and teammates appreciate and value his leadership, 35 years of experience in simulation, and proven ability to guide the design, development, production, installation and support of our industry-leading visual systems.”

Hester leads a team of over 200 engineers, systems specialists, and service and support professionals based in St. Louis, Mo., and Austin, Texas. Together they have developed many innovative products, including the new VITAL 1100 visual system and CrewView glass mirror display.

The unprecedented fidelity and levels of detail offered by the VITAL 1100 visual system significantly enhances training. It delivers photo-realistic imagery up to 40 million-pixel-resolution, and provides mission specific scenes and environmental conditions experienced during all phases of flight. Crewmembers also benefit from a worldwide database that incorporates the latest terrain information with geo-specific satellite images as well as out-the-window and sensor information.

FlightSafety’s CrewView glass mirror displays deliver superior optical performance, and sharper image clarity. The true collimated images presented are free of visible distortions and artifacts out to mirror edge. It offers field of views up to 300 degrees horizontal x 60 degrees vertical that provides significant improvements in realism and situational awareness by filling the entire aircraft window.

Hester began his career at McDonnell Douglas as a software systems engineer in 1980, working on Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles. He then served as a software development manager for laser communications systems prior to being promoted to proposal manager for visual systems. When FlightSafety acquired McDonnell Douglas Visual Simulation Systems in 1993, Hester was named business operations manager. He was promoted to director of business operations for visual systems and simulation in 1994, and to general manager for visual systems in 1998.

He holds bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, and a master’s in Business Administration from Southern Illinois University.  

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