UND mechanical engineer George Bibel's aviation crash book nets "Bravo!" from Boeing, FAA

George Bibel, a mechanical engineer who knows a thing or two about what causes things to fail, wrote what's become a widely acclaimed read in aviation circles. "Beyond the Black Box: The Forensics of Airplane Crashes" is a leading seller in an academic field that doesn’t often produce stars. Professor Bibel now is much in demand nationally as a speaker and teacher-largely because of this book, which clearly demonstrates his "inside" technical and scientific expertise behind the how and why of airplane crashes caused by mechanical or structural problems.

Among many other honors and invitations, Bibel, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of North Dakota’s School of Engineering and Mines recently, recently was appointed as a distinguished lecturer by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

Beyond the Black Box, a book detailing aviation disasters caused by mechanical failures, was released in 2007 by the Johns Hopkins University Press and launched at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., to wide acclaim in the aviation sector.  The book has now been favorably reviewed, recommended or featured by the New York Times, Discovery Magazine, New Scientist, National Science Teachers Association, Air Safety Week, Avionics Magazine, RAF News and Airliner World.

In his capacity as AIAA distinguished lecturer, Bibel has been invited to give presentations about his book at AIAA meetings organized by the General Electric Co., the General Dynamics Gulfstream division, the U.S. Air Force, and others. Bibel also has been appointed to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety team and has lectured at FAA conferences and safety meetings.

Bibel also was invited recently by the Boeing Co. to deliver training seminars for its new engineers. Boeing is evaluating incorporating Bibel’s book and seminar into training for new engineers and George Washington University is using the book in an introductory aerospace course.

“Our plan is to work with Dr. Bibel to add some detailed proprietary information to the course content and to make it a regularly scheduled course offering, and we are considering breaking it into two four hour long sessions,” said Boeing engineer and UND alum David French, who is the curriculum development integrator for the company.

Beyond the Black Box teaches science through accident and crash stories. Bibel wrote a guest column “Listen Up and Fly Right” for the New York Times; the column was reprinted around the world. Bibel was recently interviewed about his book by Neal Conan on National Public Radio Talk of the Nation and on NPR KPCC Los Angeles and WPHT Philadelphia.

Bibel’s research into the catastrophic failure of planes, trains, and other engineering structures has led him to develop classroom case histories as a vital part of his engineering curriculum.

For additional information see http://www.discovery.und.edu/Discovery/blackBox.html

Contacts:
George Bibel, professor
School of Engineering and Mines Department of Mechanical Engineering
(701) 777-4918
georgebibel@mail.und.nodak.edu

Juan Pedraza
University of North Dakota Office of University Relations
(701) 777-6571
juanpedraza@mail.und.edu