More detail on this person: Brahney began his
professional career in June 1962 as an Aerospace
Research Engineer on NASA s Apollo Program with
North American Aviation in Los Angeles. Despite a
critical skills occupational deferment, he opted
to enter the Air Force Officer Training School. He
was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in March
1963 and was selected for jet pilot training. He
received his wings in May 1964 and went on to
advanced helicopter flight training. This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023
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In 1966-67, Brahney served a tour in Vietnam,
flying 200 combat sorties as a Rescue Helicopter
Pilot. He was credited with saving nine lives and
was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross
for Heroism, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and
another Distinguished Flying Cross and seven Air
Medals for meritorious achievement in flight.
In 1968, Brahney was selected to attend the U. S.
Navy Test Pilot School and following graduation,
he was assigned to the Flight Test Wing at
Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio where he
tested a variety of aircraft and flight systems.
He was Chief Test Pilot on the Air Cushion Landing
System program, and he was the only pilot to make
full-stop landings on this experimental system.
During his seven-year tenure as a test pilot, he
also traveled to Canada and Japan to test
experimental aircraft developed in those
countries.
Brahney's flying career spanned thirteen years
during which he compiled 2800 flying hours in 35
different aircraft, including single- and
multi-engine jets, single- and multi-engine
props/turboprops, helicopters, seaplanes,
gyrocopters, and gliders. He was pilot-qualified
in 23 different aircraft.
From 1976 to 1979, Brahney progressed through a
series of program management positions before
being appointed as Director of the Advanced
Rescue Helicopter Program.
Brahney was also Commander of the Air Force
ROTC program at the University of Pittsburgh for
two years.
At the end of 1982, following his retirement as a
USAF Lieutenant Colonel, Brahney began a second
career with SAE where he developed and managed
aerospace technical conferences throughout the
US, Europe and Asia. He also served as Associate
Editor of Aerospace Engineering magazine where
he published over 200 technical articles. In
addition to his ME degree from Youngstown
University, Brahney held an M.S. in systems
management from the University of Southern
California and a Ph.D. in higher education
administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
He was also a graduate of Armed Forces Staff
College and Defense Systems Management
College.
Brahney taught organization and management
courses at Youngstown State University, University
of Pittsburgh and University of Maryland.
Survivors: Wife Carolyn; Sons James Eric and
Scott; Daughter Mary; Seven grandchildren. Three
sisters.
He will be inducted into the Ohio Hall of Fame for
Valor in May 2010. He was looking forward to
accepting his award.
From: Mary Brahney