Northwest Aerospace News — Issue 52 August | September 2026 | Page 55

Even better, it’ s definitely not your typical office job.“ Mostly, we work in an office environment,” Robert explained.“ But we also work with customers that make aircraft products. We get to go out to an airplane hangar, kick the tires and touch the wings. That’ s just cool work.”
Over the years, Robert also picked up his bass guitar and started playing music again. About once a month you can see him playing original music with Dragontail Peak at venues around Puget Sound.
“ It used to be that if people found out you played in a band; you weren’ t taken seriously on the job.” What Robert alludes to is the now-regarded connection between business innovation and the collaboration and creativity that comes from being part of a musical group.
“ Back then, the industry was also more defined in other areas. For example, it was understood that we had to choose one specific aspect of our field – say, aerospace or space – to set the course of our entire career.” That focus has changed dramatically over the past thirty years.
“ Now, there’ s plenty more opportunity. Recently, I was inspired by the work of building a helicopter that flies on Mars. We can do that, now.”
Robert is referring to the collaborative work between Arlington-based, AeroVironment, and NASA ' s Jet Propulsion Laboratory( JPL) to design and build
“... TLG SUPPORTS AN ARRAY OF PRODUCTS AND COMPANIES, WHETHER THEY ARE UNDERWATER, ON THE WATER, IN THE AIR, OR ON ANOTHER PLANET." helicopters for Mars.
“ Now, TLG supports an array of products and companies, whether they are underwater, on the water, in the air, or on another planet. We can analyze an array of atmospheres.”
That is innovative and collaborative work in action for the aerospace and space industries.
“ I’ d like to think that what sets TLG apart, and our industry peers in Washington, is our commitment to help people who are making actual products. Our work, along with those we collaborate with, is to help companies with the products they are building, selling and using. If we’ re successful, they are too.”
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