Carl J. Magnusson

Carl Magnusson was an unmanned aircraft system pilot and flight navigator at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards, CA.

Magnusson was a pilot for NASA’s Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system and Beech King Air and was a navigator for both NASA’s DC-8 flying laboratory and C-20A research aircraft. He was responsible for mission planning and operation of multiple aircraft types that perform a wide variety of airborne science research activities.

Magnusson has served in the U.S. Air Force on both active and reserve duty for more than 24 years. During this time he graduated from undergraduate navigator training and undergraduate pilot training.

He holds senior pilot and senior navigator ratings with more than 4,500 flight hours. He has flown the KC-135, DC-8, T-37, T1-A, BE-200 and Global Hawk. Magnusson is an FAA-licensed commercial pilot and flight navigator.

Magnusson is a colonel in the U. S. Air Force Reserve assigned to the Joint Training and Exercises Division of the Operations Directorate, Headquarters United States Pacific Command in Hawaii.

Magnusson earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma in Norman. He also earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. He was awarded NASA Group Achievement awards in 2007 and 2008. Among military honors, he has received the Meritorious Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Antarctica Service Medal.