McDermott + Bull has successfully placed Warren Gould as Executive Director, Flight Test at Cirrus Aircraft. Warren will be responsible for leading the full flight test lifecycle across all Cirrus platforms, including experimental, certification, and production testing. He will oversee a multidisciplinary team of test pilots, engineers, and analysts, shaping test strategies, establishing safety standards, and driving technical execution that supports Cirrus’s product innovation and certification goals.
Warren is a veteran test pilot and aerospace leader with more than 30 years of experience spanning civil, military, and business aviation. He most recently served as Owner and Pilot at Laminar Flight Services, providing contract support in experimental and production flight testing, demonstration flying, and charter and corporate operations. Prior to that, he spent nearly 14 years at Honda Aircraft Company, where he served as Manager of Flight Operations and Chief Test Pilot. In this role, he led the design, development, and certification of the HondaJet HA-420, and served as Pilot-in-Command on the aircraft’s first flight. Earlier in his career, Warren held senior test pilot roles at Beech Aircraft Company, contributing to programs including the Premier 1 and Hawker 4000. He began his aviation career as a Flight Test Engineer and Project Officer with the U.S. Army Airworthiness and Qualification Directorate at Edwards Air Force Base. Warren holds a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and maintains multiple type ratings and FAA certifications, with more than 8,600 hours of total flight time.
Cirrus Aircraft is a global leader in personal aviation, known for its pioneering innovations such as the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), the all-glass cockpit, and the Vision Jet — the world’s first single-engine personal jet. Headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota, Cirrus continues to shape the future of general aviation through its commitment to safety, design, and performance.
This executive search was completed by McDermott + Bull Managing Director Austin Mitchell and Director Alyssa Joy.