Charles P. Winters was chosen for induction into the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame for his contributions to the development and testing of many advanced military aircraft and his service to the nation. Flight testing requires bravery and flying skills of the highest order. However, much more is demanded of flight test professionals: scientific and engineering knowledge, critical thinking and judgment and first-rate management skills. A well-devised flight test program, skillfully carried out, calls forth the highest performance of the aircraft and its associated systems. Finding the people who are capable of planning and flying such a program is not easy, nor is the process automatic. Identifying someone to oversee such a program is harder still. From June 1966 to March 1968, Winters attended the Air Force Institute of Technology where he earned a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering. He was then stationed at Phan Rang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam from July 1968 to June 1969 where he flew 298 combat missions in the F-100 during the conflict. Winters then was selected to attend the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California and, upon graduation in July 1970, he was awarded the Liethen-Tittle Trophy for outstanding flying performance and academic excellence. Winters remained at Edwards as a test pilot with the F-111 Joint Test Force (JTF). On 12 September 1972, an aircraft he was flying entered an uncontrolled spin and crashed. Winters and his flight test engineer ejected safely using the new escape capsule system. While assigned to the F-111 JTF, he was one of two pilots to participate in a project to develop an armed remotely piloted vehicle for enemy defense suppression missions. A little more than nine months after the initial go-ahead, the system was successfully demonstrated with a direct hit against a simulated surface-to-air missile site. In August 1973, Winters began a nine month assignment as a project pilot for several classified projects where he flew 11 evaluation flights. This included flying simulated combat maneuvers against preproduction F-15A prototype aircraft. At the same time, he was assigned as project pilot and operations officer with the F-15 JTF at Edwards where he conducted more than 60 spin tests. He was instrumental in the discovery of a new phenomenon called “auto-roll”, the rotation of the aircraft to match the engine), and was in charge of air combat maneuvering tests. In July 1983 he was assigned as inspector general, Air Force Systems Command. He was promoted to brigadier general in April 1985. In October 1987 he was assigned as deputy chief of staff for test and resources, Headquarters Air Force Systems Command. Winters retired from active duty in 1988. In 2000 he formed a limited liability corporation to pursue a large defense contract. This contract sought to consolidate all contract services and activities associated with test and training at facilities in Nevada, California and Utah. Since winning the contract in June 2001, the company has been involved in testing such aircraft as the F-35 Lightning II, F-117 Nighthawk, the B-2 Spirit, and F-22 Raptor. Charles Winters retired from JT3 on December 31, 2004 and continues to serve as a consultant and advisor.

Charles P. “Pete” Winters was born June 7, 1937, in Rochester, Minnesota. He graduated from Pillsbury Military Academy, Owatonna, Minn. In June 1955, he was accepted into the first class at the U.S. Air Force Academy, graduating in June 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He earned his pilot wings at Laredo AFB, Texas. After completing F-100 tactical training at Luke AFB, Arizona, and Nellis AFB, Nevada, he served in Japan, South Carolina, Turkey and Italy.
Winters attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces from August 1975 through June 1976. Upon graduation he was assigned as chief of procedures and training for command and control, U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Returning to the U.S. in July 1979, he assumed command and was responsible for overseeing several high-level classified test projects. Under Winters’ supervision, the F-117A transitioned from prototype phase to initial operational capability in less than five years.