KATHRYN HUGHES, MD - IAMA PRESIDENT

Dr. Kathryn "FOG" Hughes is a retired Colonel, a physician and fighter pilot with over 25 years of active-duty service. A 1988 graduate of the US Air Force Academy, she later became one of the few Pilot-Physicians in the US Air Force.  She has been a Senior Consultant for Martin-Baker Aircraft Company (MBA) since 2016, working to support MBA ejection seats with the US Air Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps.  She is closely involved with applying human systems integration methodology and aerospace physiology expertise to current and future ejection seat design.

Dr. Hughes has over 3,100 military pilot flight hours primarily in the T-38, RC-135,  A-10 and Royal Air Force Hawk.  She also has military flight time in 23 other aircraft, 400 hours as a flight surgeon and over 1,300 civilian hours in a Bonanza Debonair.  Throughout her career, she held numerous leadership roles in the Air Force Medical Service to include Squadron Commander and Chief of Aerospace Medicine at Edwards Air Force Base – responsible for aeromedical support to the 412th Test Wing for developmental and operational test, as well as the USAF Test Pilot School.  Dr. Hughes also served as a Royal Air Force Exchange Pilot at MoD Boscombe Down, UK where she conducted in-flight testing of life support and pilot flight equipment.  Dr. Hughes is dual board-certified in Aerospace and Occupational Medicine through the American Board of Preventive Medicine, and specializes in Human Factors, Human Performance and Human Systems Integration.

Kathy, a 1963 Debonair and her FAA Senior AME/HIMS practice are based at the Council Municipal/Clint Yates Field (U82) where she is also the volunteer airport manager.