Jay Honeycutt, СAPP60, had an outstanding career based on making the most out of every situation.
After a long career of working on the Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle Programs with NASA, along with the Space Shuttle Launch and Landing Operations with the Kennedy Space Center, Jay has retired and leads a much slower paced life.
СAPPI'm happy doing what I do,СAPP he said. СAPPI get up every morning with the idea that I don't have anywhere to go, and I got all day to get there.СAPP
The Right Place at The Right Time
If he hadnСAPPt been drafted into the U.S. Army, Jay expects he would have followed in his dadСAPPs footsteps of working with CLECO, an electric power company headquartered in central Louisiana.
СAPPI can't think of anything in my background that would chase me anywhere else,СAPP he said. СAPPI mean, it was great company. I liked it. I liked working and living in New Iberia.СAPP
Being drafted was the first of many times in his career that Jay describes as СAPPbeing in the right place at the right time.СAPP
СAPPI was fortunate to get drafted, actually СAPP not very many people will say that,СAPP he said. СAPPBut I got out of school at the same time that NASA was being formed from the Army Ballistic Missile Agency.СAPP
When NASA was formed, engineers from the Army Ballistic Missile Agency had the opportunity to transfer. This left the Army with few working-level engineers and an opportunity opened up for Jay.
СAPPSo, their solution to that problem was to draft fresh-out engineers,СAPP he said. СAPPI was one of those who got drafted. And I was only one of, like, three working-level engineers in my group.
СAPPWhen all the engineers left, the Army didn't stop sending work to the lab,СAPP he explained. СAPPAnd so, I got some assignments that my peers waited, in some cases, years to get the same amount of responsibility that I got СAPP basically four months after I got out of school. So that turned out to be really fortunate, actually.СAPP
When Jay decided his time was up in the Army, the NASA Space Center was opening in Houston, marking the next СAPPright place, right timeСAPP moment in his career.
СAPPThey put me to work on the lunar module. This was in the middle of Gemini, so they hadn't begun to fly the Apollo vehicles yet,СAPP he explained. СAPPSo, I started at the ground level of developing the mechanics for flying the lunar module. And again, in the group I was in, I was the only one that they had to give that job to, so I got to work on that.
СAPPSo, you know, I ended up being in the right place at the right time several different times,СAPP he said.
Launching Shuttles in Operations Engineering
When Jay started with NASA, he also started in a new field of engineering.
СAPPWhen I transferred down to Texas, I got out of the design side and got into operations,СAPP he said. СAPPWhich I much more enjoyed than I did the design work.
СAPPDesign engineers design it, test engineers test it and verify that it meets the design, and then the operators use it,СAPP he explained. СAPPWe sit on the console, look at the data that's coming in and ensure that we've maintained the operation of the hardware to the design criteria.
СAPPAnd when something goes wrong, we attempt to СAPP in real time, which is what makes operations most fun СAPP figure out what has gone wrong and what you're going to do about it,СAPP he said.
Jay played a role in about 135 shuttle launches, including all of the Apollo launches, the three Skylab launches, Apollo Soyuz, and the first 25 shuttle launches for the Challenger. Each launch was very labor-intensive and required a lot of people.
СAPPI had 1,000 civil servants, and 6,000 or 7,000 contractors in my organization that were responsible for executing all the steps there are,СAPP he said. СAPPOver time, we reduced the number of labor hours down through efficiencies, we got it down into the order of 650,000 or 700,000 labor hours.
СAPPIt was a lot of work by a lot of people, and the lowest-level person in the organization had as equally important a job as I did,СAPP he said. СAPPAny one of them could make any mistake in that near million labor hours and it would cause us to not be able to launch or lose a vehicle during launch.
СAPPSo, people were cautioned, and they were reminded that if you made a mistake, tell us about it and we'll go fix it,СAPP he said. СAPPIf you didn't tell us, and we found out about it later, you're out of here because every one of your jobs is important. Everything you do in that job is important.СAPP
Training the Next Leaders in Engineering
Jay is passionate about being involved with the next leaders of the industry. He visited UL Lafayette earlier this year to discuss the CAPE-3 satellite, built by student researchers.
СAPPThis isnСAPPt straightforward lab research based on what theyСAPPre learning in the classroom. They are applying what they learn. This sort of direct application СAPP rather than just demonstrating principles СAPP will benefit them greatly.СAPP
JayСAPPs theory is that one particular trait makes a good leader in a high-risk industry.
СAPPYou got to be willing to be wrong,СAPP he said.
Jay says that there are people who are СAPPgood leaders in 99 out of 100 traits but they're just not willing to make that final commitment.СAPP
Jay also thinks leaders should know that there is usually more than one right way to do things.
СAPPI always try to teach young people around me that, normally, there are about 10 ways to do something,СAPP he said. СAPPAnd normally, only one of them is really wrong. Eight of them may not be the way you would do it, but they're not wrong.
СAPP(For) some people, you have to do it exactly like they want it done СAPP or it's wrong,СAPP he said. СAPPAnd those aren't good people to work for. People don't enjoy being in a situation where they have no room to follow their own imagination to get to a solution.СAPP
More About Jay Honeycutt
Among the significant awards Jay has earned are:
СAPP Exceptional Service Medal, April 1974
СAPP Special Achievement Award, February 1978 and July 1982
СAPP NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, February 1988 and April 1995
СAPP NASA Exceptional Service Medal, December 1988
СAPP NASA Equal Employment Opportunity Award, March 1993
СAPP Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award, 1993
СAPP Fellow in the American Astronautical Society
СAPP Robert R. Gilruth Award
СAPP National Space ClubСAPPs Werner von Braun Trophy
СAPP UL Lafayette Outstanding Alumni Award in 1999
