MICHAEL V. ZUCCO

BACKGROUND SUMMARY 

Product Development Engineer: with extensive experience in developing, testing, diagnosing, releasing aerospace, automotive fuel systems, and monitoring/diagnosing turbine engine systems.  Expertise includes diagnosing complex system anomalies to facilitate functionality and production.  Recognized as a knowledge specialist with practical, hands-on experience and applying theoretical analysis and calculations.  Expertise and experience in: 

·         Short “Design to Production” Cycle

·         Fuel Delivery System Design and Testing

·         Key Life Testing

·         Fuel Systems Filtration Testing

·         Applying Finite Element Analysis to shorten the Design/Test Cycle

·         Turbine Engine Monitoring/Diagnostics


Pilot:
(Commercial, Multi-Engine, Instrument Rated)

REPRESENTATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

SUN PROPERTIES LLC, Florida, N.Y., East Coast
Development/Improvements to web site SUNPROPERTIES.COM (since 1995)

·     Created a Search Feature for Rental Properties via 3 or 4 letter Airport ID
·        
Implemented instant language translation for rental ad listings

2005-

 

ZOOK'S AVIATION SERVICES Inc.
Development /Project Engineering: Aviation and Automotive/Race Car Project Engineering

·   Designed and Co-Engineered 2 Hanger Homes, meeting national/local, fire and building codes. 1st
    Design: containing a Post-Tension concrete slab spanning 65’ x 30’. 2nd Design: with a Steel Girder Truss spanning 65’.
·  Race Car Project: repaired, rented an 89 RX-7 SCCA ITS Race Car.
·  Web development for Aircraft Charters, Contract Engineering (aerospace/automotive) and other aviation related services.
·  Brokering Aircraft Charters

2002-

FORD MOTOR COMPANY  AND   VISTEON, Dearborn, MI
- Product Design Engineer for Domestic, Asian & European Programs, Electrical Fuel Handling Division

1993-2002

·        Engineered, developed and released Fuel Delivery Systems for 1998 Escort, 1999 Mustang, 2001, 2002 Taurus and Brazilian Car/Truck for $100M worth of annual system production.

·         Engineered, Designed innovative Injection Molded plastic Fuel Delivery System components to meet the Thermal Cycling, Pressure Cycling and Creep seen in the 95% mile customer usage of a 10year/150K mileage life.
·  Successfully developed very deep draw Stainless Steel and Steel flanges that contained electrical harness connections, for Fuel Delivery Systems.

·         Redesigned a Fuel Hose for tighter packaging constraints while increasing hose burst pressure by 40%, facilitating the production of Escorts and a number of other vehicles without changing program costs.

·         Developed Key Life Tests for Fuel Delivery Systems;  discovering system anomalies that would not have been revealed through component testing.

·         On one system, saved $6M in annual warrantee costs and significantly enhanced customer satisfaction.

·         Ordered and directed Finite Element Analysis to reduce or eliminate design iterations, significantly reducing design cycle costs of up to $100,000 on each component analyzed.

·         Designed, tested and released the first Electronic Returnless Fuel Delivery System, which reduces vehicle emissions while increasing the powertrain efficiency/fuel economy.

·         Designed Fuel Delivery Systems under extraordinarily difficult packaging constraints while mindful of vehicle crash concerns and cognizant of manufacturing requirements of 380,000 units annually..

·         Designed and placed into production inexpensive Noise Reduction Components, reducing Fuel Delivery System noise by 8db resulting in enhanced customer satisfaction and reduced warrantee costs, while increasing profitability to Visteon with over $1M warrantee savings..

·         Effectively partnered with Japanese Design Engineers, overcoming language barriers, to arrive at consensus on Test Specifications and component configurations to design and develop Fuel Delivery Systems for two joint Asia/US developed cars.

·         Designed Fuel Contamination Tests simulating real life to optimize system design, filtration performance and to project the mileage life of the system.  This testing affected the design of $100M of annual system production. 


ZUCCO ENTERPRISES,
Red Hook, NY                                                                                                                                                                                                                           1992-1993 

Development Engineer and Programmer

·         Performed preliminary, environmental and fuel systems development work on an advanced business jet design for AASI/Jet Cruiser.

·         Developed a prototype fluid flow device for aircraft and automotive applications.

·         Built an On-line Telecommunications Service using a Personal Computer and Modems. 


WILLIAMS INTERNATIONAL,
Walled Lake, MI                                                                                                                                                                                                             1990-1992 

Senior Development Engineer, Turbine Engine Accessories Systems Engineering

·         Developed fuel control components, bladders, valves and delivery pumps.

·         Engineered a lightweight, low cost and efficient fuel delivery system to be used for defense.

·         Solved complex geometry, fuel bladder design problems.

·         Diagnosed and solved design problems through the use of brainstorming techniques, communication and vendor input.

·         Modified the design of fielded fuel pump tanks to enhance their operation.

·         Maintained and tested small Gas Turbine Engine Fuel Controls.

 

 SELL EMPLOYED, St. Croix, USVI                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   1989-1990 

·         Carpenter: Installed Roofs on Homes/Villas as post Hurricane Hugo. 

·         Electrician: Repaired/Installed electric services and residential/commercial wiring.

 

TEXTRON LYCOMING, INC., Stratford, CT                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1985-1989


Development Engineer, Turbine Engine Controls and Accessories
(1987-1989)

Turbine Engine Diagnostics Engineer/Rotational Engineer, Independent Research and Development (1985-1987)

·         Managed the development and testing of a Temperature Trim Unit.  Its success opened up a new engine market.

·         Solved customer’s problems with Lycoming’s T53 engine’s fuel control.

·         Jointly specified an engine over-speed trip system requiring thermal, vibration and E.M.I. protection.

·         Created short and long-term solutions for customers by initiating and leading technical “Brain Storming” sessions.

·         Authored user interface software for communicating with a Turbine Engine Monitor/Diagnostics Computer.

·         Programmed in Basic and Pascal and utilized an IBM mainframe for Monitoring Computer Development.

·         Managed complete project for the development and testing of a Turbine Engine Performance/Life Monitor.  The application of this technology significantly reduces costly unscheduled engine maintenance for light helicopter.

·         Developed software applying NASA methods of counting low cycle fatigue.  This was designed in order for experimental Engine Monitoring Computers to accurately count the Low Cycle Fatigue of turbine disks during flight.

·         Created and led “TECH TEAM,” a Quality Team with membership from R&D and Turbine Engine Diagnostics.

·         As part of the Engine Performance department, developed engine performance programs for determining maximum engine power at minimum levels.  This reduced the cost and increased the safety of testing helicopter engine performance.

·         Performed set-up, pre-test calibration, test, post-test calibration, wrote reports and made hardware modification recommendations for experimental engine components installed into test engines in the Test Engineering department.

·         Performed pre-test/post-test assembly/disassembly of experimental turbine engines in Experimental Assembly department. 


IBM, Poughkeepsie, NY                                                                                                                      
                                                  Summer 1983
Computer Opperator

Assisted in maintaining computer opperations at IBM mainframe software development center. 

EDUCATION
 

B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 1985 
Electrical/Mechanical  Technology, Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, NY 1978-80
 

PROFESSIONAL COURSES 

·         Key Life Testing

·         Quality Team Leader Training

·         Design of Experiments

·         Kepner-Tregoe Problem Solving

·         Engine Performance Course

·         Managing Interpersonal Relations

·         Design for Robustness

·         Microsoft Project

·         SPC

·         Excel

·         A.S.M.E. Gas Turbine Course

·         Word

·         ALF-502 Engine Maintenance Course

·         DFMEA

·         DVP&R

·      Introduction to Catia

RELATED ACHIEVEMENTS 

·        Designed and co-engineered a 6,400 sq. ft. Hanger/Villa with a post-tension concrete ceiling/floor, 2002

·      Built an ITS Road Race/Endurance Car from an 86 Mazda RX-7, 2001

·      Built web sites for sunproperties.com and zooksaviation.com, 1996

·     S.C.C.A. National  and Regional Racing licenses, 1997 & 2002
·
    Series 6 Securities Licence (State of CT), 1987

·       Established COMPUTERM, a computer rental/sales business located at the University of Massachusetts, 1982

·     Established PIT MOTOCROSS PRODUCTS, a motorcycle retail parts and equipment business, 1979
·      Built a V8 Vega, 1974-1976 
      

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (A.O.P.A.)

Society of Automotive Engineers (S.A.E.)
Sports Car Club of America (S.C.C.A.)