Childhood Passion for Model Planes Fuels Work at NASA's Subscale Flight Research Lab
Three engineers at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center say early hobbies building radio-controlled aircraft now inform their roles at the Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory.

Before contributing to aerospace research at NASA, engineers Derek Abramson, Justin Hall, and Justin Link spent time in garages and homes building radio-controlled aircraft, according to a report published by NASA Breaking News.
The three tested designs and flew their creations at hobby events during their early years, the agency said. That early interest in aviation now informs their work at NASA's Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory, located at the agency's Armstrong Flight Research Center.
According to NASA, the laboratory is named after Dale Reed, a former NASA engineer known for his contributions to subscale flight testing methods. The facility is used to develop and test smaller-scale aircraft models as part of broader aerospace research efforts.
NASA's report characterizes the work of Abramson, Hall, and Link as an extension of skills and enthusiasm they developed as hobbyists before joining the agency. Further details on their specific projects and roles at the laboratory were not included in the excerpt reviewed for this report.
NASA did not provide additional information in the excerpt regarding the scope of ongoing research at the Subscale Flight Research Laboratory or timelines for related projects.
Sources
- Passion Meets Precision at NASA’s Flight Research Lab — NASA Breaking News
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
Related articles

NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day Features Analemma Over Scotland's Callanish Stones
The September 20, 2026 edition of NASA's long-running APOD series highlights a composite image showing the sun's yearly path above the ancient Callanish Stones.

BBC's 'Tech Now' Follows NASA Scientists Studying Solar Eclipse in Iceland
A new episode of the BBC technology programme features reporter Adrienne Murray accompanying NASA researchers examining a rare total solar eclipse.

NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day to Feature “A Zodiacal Night” on September 19, 2026
The long-running NASA APOD series is set to showcase a night-sky image highlighting the zodiacal light, according to the program’s website.

XRISM Mission Observes Pulsar Capturing Stellar Wind From Companion Star
Astronomers using the Japan-led XRISM X-ray observatory say they have directly observed a giant star's outflow being captured by a compact companion, powering intense X-ray flares.

NASA Awards SpaceX Three Additional Crew Missions to Space Station
Contract modification extends SpaceX’s role in ferrying astronauts to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Captures First Light
The new observatory, designed to hunt for thousands of exoplanets and probe dark matter and dark energy, has recorded its first cosmic images, according to a report by Scientific American.
Comments
Loading comments…