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Donald "Chip" Wood, based in Plainfield, New Hampshire, serves as a Designated Pilot Examiner under the Portland, Maine Flight Standards District Office, where he conducts private, commercial, instrument, ATP, CFI, and specialized H46E and SK-58 helicopter checkrides. Before operating in New England, Wood spent many years with the FAA's Fort Worth Aircraft Evaluation Group in Texas. From 2005 through 2017, he served as Chairman of the Flight Operations Evaluation Board, evaluating flight operations and establishing training criteria for major global helicopter models such as the Airbus AS332, Bell 429, and AgustaWestland AW189. During his federal career, he also participated in NTSB helicopter accident investigations, vetted civilian training programs for military-surplus tandem-rotor helicopters, and was frequently dispatched nationwide to address the scarcity of qualified helicopter check airmen.