Chris Lutat
Expert opinion contributor

Chris Lutat is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and served the Coast Guard as a Search and Rescue Pilot and Instructor Pilot.

Prior to his designation as a Coast Guard aviator, Lutat served aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Evergreen as a Deck Watch Officer, Communications Officer and Boarding Officer. He served as a Falcon 20G “Guardian” Aircraft Commander and instructor and was among the initial cadre of U.S. Coast Guard human factors facilitators. He holds an Air Transport Pilot certificate and type ratings in several commercial aircraft, and currently serves as a Captain on the Boeing 777 for a large global airline, where he has served as a Check Airman, Instructor Pilot, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aircrew Program Designee. He has been a pioneer in bringing advanced technology procedures, interfaces, crew resource management and airmanship to organizations around the world.

Lutat is a founding partner of Convergent Performance and led Convergent’s Advanced and Emerging Technology team for over fifteen years. In 2018 he was named the company’s Managing Partner. He has been guiding organizations of all sizes through the transition from legacy aircraft to advanced fleets through developing policies, procedures and practices associated with safe, smooth, efficient operation of advanced aircraft. Both his extensive field work and research have made him a popular speaker on the subject of human-machine interface, and he has addressed military and civilian audiences at a variety of forums around the world.

He is the co-author of “Automation Airmanship: Nine Principles for Operating Glass Cockpit Aircraft” (2013, McGraw-Hill Education). He lives in Stonington, CT with his wife Faith, and their dog “Fly”. He also volunteers as an advisor and coach for the Coast Guard Academy Flight Team, flying light aircraft with aspiring Coast Guard Academy Cadet aviators.

Latest from Chris Lutat

Safety

Here’s a Better Idea: Avoid the Fistfight in the First Place

Preparation and knowledge make a difference in outcomes
Pilot touching controls
Safety

Don’t Let the Autoflight Bring You Down

NASA's ASRS shows a prevalence of pilots still trying to work out their understanding of autoflight during flight
Safety

If You Believe the Hype, We Should All Be Looking for Work

AI is not yet ready to replace all humans in the flight deck
Chis Lutat at Safety Standdown